Polynucleotides, polypeptides and methods for increasing oil content, growth rate and biomass of plants

ABSTRACT

Provided are method of increasing oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of a plant. The methods are effected by upregulating in the plant an expression level of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048. Also provided are polynucleotides, nucleic acid constructs, polypeptides and transgenic plants expressing same which can be used to increase oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of a plant and produce oil.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding same, transgenic plants expressing same and methods of producing and using same, and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to methods of increasing oil content, seed yield, growth rate, biomass and/or yield of a plant.

Vegetable or seed oils are the major source of energy and nutrition in human and animal diet. They are also used for the production of industrial products, such as paints, inks and lubricants. In addition, plant oils represent renewable sources of long-chain hydrocarbons which can be used as fuel. Since the currently used fossil fuels are finite resources and are gradually being depleted, fast growing biomass crops may be used as alternative fuels or for energy feedstocks and may reduce the dependence on fossil energy supplies. However, the major bottleneck for increasing the consumption of plant oils as bio-fuel is the oil price, which is still higher than fossil fuel [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) eia (dot) doe (dot) gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiesel/; Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) njbiz (dot)com/weekly_article.asp?aID=19755147 (dot) 6122555 (dot) 957931 (dot) 7393254 (dot) 4337383 (dot) 561&aID2=73678]. In addition, the production rate of plant oil is limited by the availability of agricultural land and water. Thus, increasing plant oil yields from the same growing area can effectively overcome the shortage in production space and can decrease vegetable oil prices at the same time.

Studies aiming at increasing plant oil yields focus on the identification of genes involved in oil metabolism as well as in genes capable of increasing plant and seed yields in transgenic plants.

Genes known to be involved in increasing plant oil yields include those participating in fatty acid synthesis or sequestering such as desaturase [e.g., DELTA6, DELTA12 or acyl-ACP (Ssi2; Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR; Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) arabidopsis (dot) org/), TAIR No. AT2G43710)], OleosinA (TAIR No. AT3G01570) or FAD3 (TAIR No. AT2G29980), and various transcription factors and activators such as Lec1 [TAIR No. AT1G21970, Lotan et al. 1998. Cell. 26; 93(7):1195-205], Lec2 [TAIR No. AT1G28300, Santos Mendoza et al. 2005, FEBS Lett. 579(21):4666-70], Fus3 (TAIR No. AT3G26790), ABI3 [TAIR No. AT3G24650, Lara et al. 2003. J Biol Chem. 278(23): 21003-11] and Wri1 [TAIR No. AT3G54320, Cernac and Benning, 2004. Plant J. 40(4): 575-85].

Zabrouskov V., et al., 2002 (Physiol Plant. 116:172-185) demonstrated that upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum (FAD3) and plastidal (FAD7) fatty acid desaturases in potato increases the total lipid fraction in transgenic clones.

Wang H W et al., 2007 (Plant J. 52:716-29. Epub 2007 Sep. 18) found that transgenic plant seeds over-expressing the GmDof4 and GmDof11 transcription factors exhibit increased content of total fatty acids and lipids.

Vigeolas H, et al. [Plant Biotechnol J. 2007, 5(3):431-41] and U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 20060168684 disclose increased seed oil content in oil-seed rape (Brassica napus L.) by over-expression of a yeast glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase under the control of a seed-specific promoter.

Katavic V, et al., 2000 (Biochem Soc Trans. 28:935-7) describe the use of the Arabidopsis FAE1 and yeast SLC1-1 genes for improvements in erucic acid and oil content in rapeseed.

U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 20080076179 discloses an isolated moss nucleic acid encoding a lipid metabolism protein (LMP) and transgenic plants expressing same with increased lipid levels.

U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 20060206961 discloses a method of increasing oil content in plants (e.g., in plant seeds), by expressing in the plant the Ypr140w polypeptide.

U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 20060174373 discloses a method of increasing oil content in plants by expressing a nucleic acid encoding a triacylglycerols (TAG) synthesis enhancing protein (TEP) in the plant.

U.S. Pat. Appl. Nos. 20070169219, 20070006345, 20070006346 and 20060195943, disclose transgenic plants with improved nitrogen use efficiency which can be used for the conversion into fuel or chemical feedstocks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of increasing oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of a plant, comprising introducing into the plant an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048, thereby increasing the oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of the plant.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of producing oil, comprising: (a) providing the plant according to the method of the invention, and (b) extracting the oil from the plant; thereby producing the oil.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a nucleic acid construct, comprising the isolated polynucleotide of the invention and a promoter for directing transcription of the nucleic acid sequence.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided an isolated polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a plant cell exogenously expressing the polypeptide of the invention.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a plant cell exogenously expressing the polynucleotide of the invention.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the oil comprises a seed oil.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the oil comprises a vegetative portion oil.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the plant cell forms a part of a plant.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 a-d are digital images of leaves depicting leaf length (FIG. 1 a, the leaf length is represented by the arrow), laminar length (FIG. 1 b, the laminar length is represented by the arrow), laminar area (FIG. 1 c, the laminar area is represented by the white ellipse) and laminar width (FIG. 1 d, the laminar width is represented by the arrow). Blade circularity was calculated as laminar width divided by laminar length.

FIGS. 2 a-b are images depicting root development of plants grown in transparent agar plates. The different ecotypes were grown in transparent agar plates for 17 days and the plates were photographed every 2 days starting at day 7. An exemplary image is shown in FIG. 2 a (taken following 12 days on agar plates). The length of the root measured is represented by the red arrow (FIG. 2 b).

FIG. 3 is an image depicting iodine vapor staining of lipids isolated from the transgenic plants expressing the genes listed in Table 56, Example 7 of the Examples section which follows. The arrow points at the tri acyl glycerol bands.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to isolated polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding same, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to methods of using same for increasing oil content, growth rate, yield, biomass and/or vigor of a plant.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details set forth in the following description or exemplified by the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

While reducing the present invention to practice, the present inventors have identified novel polypeptides and polynucleotides which can be used to increase oil content, seed yield, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of a plant.

Thus, as shown in the Examples section which follows, the present inventors have employed a bioinformatics approach which compares the expression pattern of Arabidopsis-derived genes in 79 tissues or developmental stages to that of the oil hook genes (OHGs) known to play a role in embryogenesis, seed development and oil synthesis and accumulation, and genes exhibiting a significant correlation were identified (Table 1, Example 1). In addition, using an oligonucleotide micro-array, the present inventors determined the expression profile of identified genes in tissues and developmental stages of various Arabidopsis ecotypes (Table 3; Example 2) and correlated the expression profile to selected yield or vigor related parameters (Tables 4, 5 and 6; Example 2). Genes exhibiting a significant correlation between the expression profile and the yield or vigor parameters of the ecotypes were identified (Table 7; Example 2). Of them, several genes were found to modulate seed yield (Table 8), oil yield (Table 9), growth rate (Table 10), organ shape/size/length (Table 11), harvest index (Table 12), oil content per seed (Table 13), plant dry matter (Table 14) and seed number per silique (Table 15). Additional genes which are predicted to increase oil content, seed yield, growth rate, yield and/or biomass of a plant were identified using bioinformatics tools (Table 2, Example 1). In addition, polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding same which are homologous to the predicted polypeptides of Tables 1 and 2 were also identified (Table 18, Example 5). Furthermore, as described in Examples 3, 4 and 6 of the Examples section which follows, transgenic plants expressing the identified polynucleotides exhibit increased seed yield, oil yield, dry matter, harvest index, growth rate, rosette area, oil percentage in seed and weight of 1000 seeds (Tables 19-55; Example 6). In addition, transgenic plants expressing the polynucleotides of the invention exhibited increased oil content as compared to control plants (FIG. 3, Example 7). Altogether, these results suggest the use of the novel polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention for increasing oil content, yield (including seed yield), growth rate, biomass, and/or vigor of a plant.

It should be noted that since oil content is affected by intrinsic oil production, or mass/size of oil producing tissue per plant/per growth period, any gene which affects these aforementioned processes is contemplated in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Thus, according to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of increasing oil content, yield, growth rate, biomass and/or vigor of a plant. The method is effected by introducing into the plant an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:166-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

The phrase “oil content” as used herein refers to the amount of lipids in a given plant organ, either the seeds (seed oil content) or the vegetative portion of the plant (vegetative oil content) and typically expressed as percentage of dry weight (10% humidity of seeds) or wet weight (for vegetative portion).

As mentioned, in one embodiment, increase in oil content of the plant can be achieved by increasing the size/mass of a plant's tissue(s) which comprise oil per growth period. Thus, increased oil content of a plant can be achieved by increasing the yield, growth rate, biomass and vigor of the plant.

As used herein the phrase “plant yield” refers to the amount (as determined by weight/size) or quantity (numbers) of tissue (e.g., seed, referred to “seed yield” and vegetative portion) produced per plant or per growing season. Hence increased yield could affect the economic benefit one can obtain from the plant in a certain growing area and/or growing time.

As used herein the phrase “plant biomass” refers to the amount (measured in grams of air-dry tissue) of a tissue produced from the plant in a growing season, which could also determine or affect the plant yield or the yield per growing area.

As used herein the phrase “plant vigor” refers to the amount (measured by weight) of tissue produced by the plant in a given time. Hence increase vigor could determine or affect the plant yield or the yield per growing time or growing area.

As used herein the term “increasing” refers to at least about 2%, at least about 3%, at least about 4%, at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, increase in plant oil content, seed yield (seed yield per plant and/or seed yield per growing area), plant yield, growth rate, biomass, and/or vigor as compared to a native plant [i.e., a plant not modified with the biomolecules (polynucleotide or polypeptides) of the invention, e.g., a non-transformed plant of the same species which is grown under the same growth conditions).

As used herein, the phrase “exogenous polynucleotide” refers to a heterologous nucleic acid sequence which may not be naturally expressed within the plant or which overexpression in the plant is desired. The exogenous polynucleotide may be introduced into the plant in a stable or transient manner, so as to produce a ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule and/or a polypeptide molecule. It should be noted that the exogenous polynucleotide may comprise a nucleic acid sequence which is identical or partially homologous to an endogenous nucleic acid sequence of the plant.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the exogenous polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 81%, at least about 82%, at least about 83%, at least about 84%, at least about 85%, at least about 86%, at least about 87%, at least about 88%, at least about 89%, at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, or more say 100% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:166-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

Homology (e.g., percent homology) can be determined using any homology comparison software, including for example, the BlastP or TBLASTN softwares of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) such as by using default parameters, when starting from a polypeptide sequence; or the tBLASTX algorithm (available via the NCBI) such as by using default parameters, which compares the six-frame conceptual translation products of a nucleotide query sequence (both strands) against a protein sequence database.

Homologous sequences include both orthologous and paralogous sequences. The term “paralogous” relates to gene-duplications within the genome of a species leading to paralogous genes. The term “orthologous” relates to homologous genes in different organisms due to ancestral relationship.

One option to identify orthologues in monocot plant species is by performing a reciprocal blast search. This may be done by a first blast involving blasting the sequence-of-interest against any sequence database, such as the publicly available NCBI database which may be found at: Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) ncbi (dot) nlm (dot) nih (dot) gov. If orthologues in rice were sought, the sequence-of-interest would be blasted against, for example, the 28,469 full-length cDNA clones from Oryza sativa Nipponbare available at NCBI. The blast results may be filtered. The full-length sequences of either the filtered results or the non-filtered results are then blasted back (second blast) against the sequences of the organism from which the sequence-of-interest is derived. The results of the first and second blasts are then compared. An orthologue is identified when the sequence resulting in the highest score (best hit) in the first blast identifies in the second blast the query sequence (the original sequence-of-interest) as the best hit. Using the same rational a paralogue (homolog to a gene in the same organism) is found. In case of large sequence families, the ClustalW program may be used [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) ebi (dot) ac (dot) uk/Tools/clustalw2/index (dot) html], followed by a neighbor joining tree (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://en (dot) wikipedia (dot) org/wiki/Neighbor-joining) which helps visualizing the clustering.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the exogenous polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:166-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

According to some embodiments of the invention the exogenous polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence which is at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 81%, at least about 82%, at least about 83%, at least about 84%, at least about 85%, at least about 86%, at least about 87%, at least about 88%, at least about 89%, at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, e.g., 100% identical to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.

Identity (e.g., percent homology) can be determined using any homology comparison software, including for example, the BlastN software of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) such as by using default parameters.

According to some embodiments of the invention the exogenous polynucleotide is set forth by SEQ ID NOs:1-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.

As used herein the term “polynucleotide” refers to a single or double stranded nucleic acid sequence which is isolated and provided in the form of an RNA sequence, a complementary polynucleotide sequence (cDNA), a genomic polynucleotide sequence and/or a composite polynucleotide sequences (e.g., a combination of the above).

As used herein the phrase “complementary polynucleotide sequence” refers to a sequence, which results from reverse transcription of messenger RNA using a reverse transcriptase or any other RNA dependent DNA polymerase. Such a sequence can be subsequently amplified in vivo or in vitro using a DNA dependent DNA polymerase.

As used herein the phrase “genomic polynucleotide sequence” refers to a sequence derived (isolated) from a chromosome and thus it represents a contiguous portion of a chromosome.

As used herein the phrase “composite polynucleotide sequence” refers to a sequence, which is at least partially complementary and at least partially genomic. A composite sequence can include some exonal sequences required to encode the polypeptide of the present invention, as well as some intronic sequences interposing therebetween. The intronic sequences can be of any source, including of other genes, and typically will include conserved splicing signal sequences. Such intronic sequences may further include cis acting expression regulatory elements.

Nucleic acid sequences encoding the polypeptides of the present invention may be optimized for expression. Non-limiting examples of optimized nucleic acid sequences are provided in SEQ ID NOs:1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1044, 1045, and 1046 which encodes polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequences set forth by SEQ ID NOs: 167, 169, 1047, 181, 185, 189 and 196, respectively. Examples of such sequence modifications include, but are not limited to, an altered G/C content to more closely approach that typically found in the plant species of interest, and the removal of codons atypically found in the plant species commonly referred to as codon optimization.

The phrase “codon optimization” refers to the selection of appropriate DNA nucleotides for use within a structural gene or fragment thereof that approaches codon usage within the plant of interest. Therefore, an optimized gene or nucleic acid sequence refers to a gene in which the nucleotide sequence of a native or naturally occurring gene has been modified in order to utilize statistically-preferred or statistically-favored codons within the plant. The nucleotide sequence typically is examined at the DNA level and the coding region optimized for expression in the plant species determined using any suitable procedure, for example as described in Sardana et al. (1996, Plant Cell Reports 15:677-681). In this method, the standard deviation of codon usage, a measure of codon usage bias, may be calculated by first finding the squared proportional deviation of usage of each codon of the native gene relative to that of highly expressed plant genes, followed by a calculation of the average squared deviation. The formula used is: 1 SDCU=n=1N[(Xn−Yn)/Yn]2/N, where Xn refers to the frequency of usage of codon n in highly expressed plant genes, where Yn to the frequency of usage of codon n in the gene of interest and N refers to the total number of codons in the gene of interest. A Table of codon usage from highly expressed genes of dicotyledonous plants is compiled using the data of Murray et al. (1989, Nuc Acids Res. 17:477-498).

One method of optimizing the nucleic acid sequence in accordance with the preferred codon usage for a particular plant cell type is based on the direct use, without performing any extra statistical calculations, of codon optimization tables such as those provided on-line at the Codon Usage Database through the NIAS (National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences) DNA bank in Japan (http://www.kazusa.or.jp/codon/). The Codon Usage Database contains codon usage tables for a number of different species, with each codon usage table having been statistically determined based on the data present in Genbank.

By using the above Tables to determine the most preferred or most favored codons for each amino acid in a particular species (for example, rice), a naturally-occurring nucleotide sequence encoding a protein of interest can be codon optimized for that particular plant species. This is effected by replacing codons that may have a low statistical incidence in the particular species genome with corresponding codons, in regard to an amino acid, that are statistically more favored. However, one or more less-favored codons may be selected to delete existing restriction sites, to create new ones at potentially useful junctions (5′ and 3′ ends to add signal peptide or termination cassettes, internal sites that might be used to cut and splice segments together to produce a correct full-length sequence), or to eliminate nucleotide sequences that may negatively effect mRNA stability or expression.

The naturally-occurring encoding nucleotide sequence may already, in advance of any modification, contain a number of codons that correspond to a statistically-favored codon in a particular plant species. Therefore, codon optimization of the native nucleotide sequence may comprise determining which codons, within the native nucleotide sequence, are not statistically-favored with regards to a particular plant, and modifying these codons in accordance with a codon usage table of the particular plant to produce a codon optimized derivative. A modified nucleotide sequence may be fully or partially optimized for plant codon usage provided that the protein encoded by the modified nucleotide sequence is produced at a level higher than the protein encoded by the corresponding naturally occurring or native gene. Construction of synthetic genes by altering the codon usage is described in for example PCT Patent Application 93/07278.

According to some embodiments of the invention, expression of the polynucleotide of the invention results in downregulation of the expression level or activity of the corresponding endogenous polypeptide (e.g., homologue).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the exogenous polynucleotide is used for co-suppression or sense suppression of an endogenous polypeptide. Thus, introducing the exogenous polynucleotide to the plant cells results in transcription of an RNA molecule (in a sense direction with respect to the corresponding endogenous gene) which suppresses translation of the corresponding endogenous RNA molecule, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020 to Jorgensen, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. For co-suppression, the exogenous polynucleotide does not require the entire nucleic acid sequence of the corresponding endogenous gene, nor does it require that the introduced sequence be exactly identical to the endogenous gene. However, as with antisense suppression, the suppressive efficiency is enhanced as specificity of hybridization is increased, e.g., as the introduced sequence is lengthened, and/or as the sequence similarity between the introduced sequence and the endogenous gene is increased. For further details see U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 20050172364 which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the exogenous polynucleotide comprises an untranslatable nucleic acid sequence, e.g., a sequence comprising one or more pre-mature stop codons, or nonsense mutations, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,021.

Thus, the invention encompasses isolated polynucleotides described hereinabove; fragments thereof, sequences hybridizable therewith, sequences homologous thereto, sequences encoding similar polypeptides with different codon usage, altered sequences characterized by mutations, such as deletion, insertion or substitution of one or more nucleotides, either naturally occurring or man induced, either randomly or in a targeted fashion.

As mentioned, the present inventors have uncovered previously uncharacterized polypeptides.

Thus, the invention provides an isolated polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 81%, at least about 82%, at least about 83%, at least about 84%, at least about 85%, at least about 86%, at least about 87%, at least about 88%, at least about 89%, at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, or more say 100% homologous to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:166-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

According to some embodiments of the invention, there is provided an exogenous polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:166-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048.

The invention also encompasses fragments of the above described polypeptides and polypeptides having mutations, such as deletions, insertions or substitutions of one or more amino acids, either naturally occurring or man induced, either randomly or in a targeted fashion.

The term “plant” as used herein encompasses whole plants, ancestors and progeny of the plants and plant parts, including seeds, shoots, stems, roots (including tubers), and plant cells, tissues and organs. The plant may be in any form including suspension cultures, embryos, meristematic regions, callus tissue, leaves, gametophytes, sporophytes, pollen, and microspores. Plants that are particularly useful in the methods of the invention include all plants which belong to the superfamily Viridiplantae, in particular monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants including a fodder or forage legume, ornamental plant, food crop, tree, or shrub selected from the list comprising Acacia spp., Acer spp., Actinidia spp., Aesculus spp., Agathis australis, Albizia amara, Alsophila tricolor, Andropogon spp., Arachis spp, Areca catechu, Astelia fragrans, Astragalus cicer, Baikiaea plurijuga, Betula spp., Brassica spp., Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Burkea africana, Butea frondosa, Cadaba farinosa, Calliandra spp, Camellia sinensis, Canna indica, Capsicum spp., Cassia spp., Centroema pubescens, Chacoomeles spp., Cinnamomum cassia, Coffea arabica, Colophospermum mopane, Coronillia varia, Cotoneaster serotina, Crataegus spp., Cucumis spp., Cupressus spp., Cyathea dealbata, Cydonia oblonga, Cryptomeria japonica, Cymbopogon spp., Cynthea dealbata, Cydonia oblonga, Dalbergia monetaria, Davallia divaricata, Desmodium spp., Dicksonia squarosa, Dibeteropogon amplectens, Dioclea spp, Dolichos spp., Dorycnium rectum, Echinochloa pyramidalis, Ehraffia spp., Eleusine coracana, Eragrestis spp., Erythrina spp., Eucalypfus spp., Euclea schimperi, Eulalia vi/losa, Pagopyrum spp., Feijoa sellowlana, Fragaria spp., Flemingia spp, Freycinetia banksli, Geranium thunbergii, GinAgo biloba, Glycine javanica, Gliricidia spp, Gossypium hirsutum, Grevillea spp., Guibourtia coleosperma, Hedysarum spp., Hemaffhia altissima, Heteropogon contoffus, Hordeum vulgare, Hyparrhenia rufa, Hypericum erectum, Hypeffhelia dissolute, Indigo incamata, Iris spp., Leptarrhena pyrolifolia, Lespediza spp., Lettuca spp., Leucaena leucocephala, Loudetia simplex, Lotonus bainesli, Lotus spp., Macrotyloma axillare, Malus spp., Manihot esculenta, Medicago saliva, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Musa sapientum, Nicotianum spp., Onobrychis spp., Ornithopus spp., Oryza spp., Peltophorum africanum, Pennisetum spp., Persea gratissima, Petunia spp., Phaseolus spp., Phoenix canariensis, Phormium cookianum, Photinia spp., Picea glauca, Pinus spp., Pisum sativam, Podocarpus totara, Pogonarthria fleckii, Pogonaffhria squarrosa, Populus spp., Prosopis cineraria, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pterolobium stellatum, Pyrus communis, Quercus spp., Rhaphiolepsis umbellata, Rhopalostylis sapida, Rhus natalensis, Ribes grossularia, Ribes spp., Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosa spp., Rubus spp., Salix spp., Schyzachyrium sanguineum, Sciadopitys vefficillata, Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoiadendron giganteum, Sorghum bicolor, Spinacia spp., Sporobolus fimbriatus, Stiburus alopecuroides, Stylosanthos humilis, Tadehagi spp, Taxodium distichum, Themeda triandra, Trifolium spp., Triticum spp., Tsuga heterophylla, Vaccinium spp., Vicia spp., Vitis vinifera, Watsonia pyramidata, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Zea mays, amaranth, artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, canola, carrot, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, flax, kale, lentil, oilseed rape, okra, onion, potato, rice, soybean, straw, sugar beet, sugar cane, sunflower, tomato, squash tea, maize, wheat, barely, rye, oat, peanut, pea, lentil and alfalfa, cotton, rapeseed, canola, pepper, sunflower, tobacco, eggplant, eucalyptus, a tree, an ornamental plant, a perennial grass and a forage crop. Alternatively algae and other non-Viridiplantae can be used for the methods of the present invention.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the oil producing plant can be oilseed crops, soybeans, sunflower, Brassica napus, Brassica Juncea, zea maize, cotton, olive (Olea europaea), flax, Brassica nigra, Jatropha curcas, and Castorbean (Ricinus communis).

Introducing the exogenous polynucleotide of the invention into the plant can be effected by transforming one or more cells of the plant with the exogenous polynucleotide, followed by generating a mature plant from the transformed cells and cultivating the mature plant under conditions suitable for expressing the exogenous polynucleotide within the mature plant.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the transformation is effected by introducing to the plant cell a nucleic acid construct which includes the exogenous polynucleotide of some embodiments of the invention and at least one promoter capable of directing transcription of the exogenous polynucleotide in the plant cell. Further details of suitable transformation approaches are provided hereinbelow.

As used herein, the term “promoter” refers to a region of DNA which lies upstream of the transcriptional initiation site of a gene to which RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription of RNA. The promoter controls where (e.g., which portion of a plant) and/or when (e.g., at which stage or condition in the lifetime of an organism) the gene is expressed.

Any suitable promoter sequence can be used by the nucleic acid construct of the present invention. According to some embodiments of the invention, the promoter is a constitutive promoter, a tissue-specific, or a developmental or embryonic-specific promoter.

Suitable constitutive promoters include, for example, CaMV 35S promoter (SEQ ID NO:921; Odell et al., Nature 313:810-812, 1985); Arabidopsis At6669 promoter (SEQ ID NO:1015; see PCT Publication No. WO2004/104162); maize Ubi 1 (Christensen et al., Plant Sol. Biol. 18:675-689, 1992); rice actin (McElroy et al., Plant Cell 2:163-171, 1990); pEMU (Last et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. 81:581-588, 1991); CaMV 19S (Nilsson et al., Physiol. Plant 100:456-462, 1997); GOS2 (de Pater et al, Plant J November; 2(6):837-44, 1992); Rice cyclophilin (Bucholz et al, Plant Mol. Biol. 25(5):837-43, 1994); Maize H3 histone (Lepetit et al, Mol. Gen. Genet. 231: 276-285, 1992); Actin 2 (An et al, Plant J. 10(1); 107-121, 1996) and Synthetic Super MAS (Ni et al., The Plant Journal 7: 661-76, 1995). Other constitutive promoters include those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,659,026, 5,608,149; 5,608,144; 5,604,121; 5,569,597: 5,466,785; 5,399,680; 5,268,463; and 5,608,142.

Suitable tissue-specific promoters include, but not limited to, seed-preferred promoters [e.g., from seed specific genes (Simon, et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 5. 191, 1985; Scofield, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262: 12202, 1987; Baszczynski, et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 14: 633, 1990), Brazil Nut albumin (Pearson' et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 18: 235-245, 1992), legumin (Ellis, et al. Plant Mol. Biol. 10: 203-214, 1988), Glutelin (rice) (Takaiwa, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 208: 15-22, 1986; Takaiwa, et al., FEBS Letts. 221: 43-47, 1987), Zein (Matzke et al Plant Mol Biol, 143: 323-32 1990), napA (Stalberg, et al, Planta 199: 515-519, 1996), Wheat SPA (Albanietal, Plant Cell, 9: 171-184, 1997), sunflower oleosin (Cummins, et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 19: 873-876, 1992)], leaf-specific promoters [such as described, for example, by Yamamoto et al., Plant J. 12:255-265, 1997; Kwon et al., Plant Physiol. 105:357-67, 1994; Yamamoto et al., Plant Cell Physiol. 35:773-778, 1994; Gotor et al., Plant J. 3:509-18, 1993; Orozco et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 23:1129-1138, 1993; and Matsuoka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9586-9590, 1993], endosperm specific promoters [e.g., wheat LMW and HMW, glutenin-1 (Mol Gen Genet. 216:81-90, 1989; NAR 17:461-2), wheat a, b and g gliadins (EMBO3:1409-15, 1984), Barley ltrl promoter, barley B1, C, D hordein (Theor Appl Gen 98:1253-62, 1999; Plant J 4:343-55, 1993; Mol Gen Genet. 250:750-60, 1996), Barley DOF (Mena et al, The Plant Journal, 116(1): 53-62, 1998), Biz2 (EP99106056.7), Synthetic promoter (Vicente-Carbajosa et al., Plant J. 13: 629-640, 1998), rice prolamin NRP33, rice-globulin Glb-1 (Wu et al, Plant Cell Physiology 39(8) 885-889, 1998), rice alpha-globulin REB/OHP-1 (Nakase et al. Plant Mol. Biol. 33: 513-S22, 1997), rice ADP-glucose PP (Trans Res 6:157-68, 1997), maize ESR gene family (Plant J 12:235-46, 1997), sorgum gamma-kafirin (PMB 32:1029-35, 1996)], embryo specific promoters [e.g., rice OSH1 (Sato et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93: 8117-8122), KNOX (Postma-Haarsma et al, Plant Mol. Biol. 39:257-71, 1999), rice oleosin (Wu et at, J. Biochem., 123:386, 1998)], and flower-specific promoters [e.g., AtPRP4, chalene synthase (chsA) (Van der Meer, et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 15, 95-109, 1990), LAT52 (Twell et al Mol. Gen. Genet. 217:240-245; 1989), apetala-3].

The nucleic acid construct of some embodiments of the invention can further include an appropriate selectable marker and/or an origin of replication. According to some embodiments of the invention, the nucleic acid construct utilized is a shuttle vector, which can propagate both in E. coli (wherein the construct comprises an appropriate selectable marker and origin of replication) and be compatible with propagation in cells. The construct according to the present invention can be, for example, a plasmid, a bacmid, a phagemid, a cosmid, a phage, a virus or an artificial chromosome.

The nucleic acid construct of some embodiments of the invention can be utilized to stably or transiently transform plant cells. In stable transformation, the exogenous polynucleotide is integrated into the plant genome and as such it represents a stable and inherited trait. In transient transformation, the exogenous polynucleotide is expressed by the cell transformed but it is not integrated into the genome and as such it represents a transient trait.

There are various methods of introducing foreign genes into both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants (Potrykus, I., Annu Rev. Plant. Physiol., Plant. Mol. Biol. (1991) 42:205-225; Shimamoto et al., Nature (1989) 338:274-276).

The principle methods of causing stable integration of exogenous DNA into plant genomic DNA include two main approaches:

(i) Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer: Klee et al. (1987) Annu Rev. Plant Physiol. 38:467-486; Klee and Rogers in Cell Culture and Somatic Cell Genetics of Plants, Vol. 6, Molecular Biology of Plant Nuclear Genes, eds. Schell, J., and Vasil, L. K., Academic Publishers, San Diego, Calif. (1989) p. 2-25; Gatenby, in Plant Biotechnology, eds. Kung, S, and Arntzen, C. J., Butterworth Publishers, Boston, Mass. (1989) p. 93-112.

(ii) Direct DNA uptake: Paszkowski et al., in Cell Culture and Somatic Cell Genetics of Plants, Vol. 6, Molecular Biology of Plant Nuclear Genes eds. Schell, J., and Vasil, L. K., Academic Publishers, San Diego, Calif. (1989) p. 52-68; including methods for direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts, Toriyama, K. et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6:1072-1074. DNA uptake induced by brief electric shock of plant cells: Zhang et al. Plant Cell Rep. (1988) 7:379-384. Fromm et al. Nature (1986) 319:791-793. DNA injection into plant cells or tissues by particle bombardment, Klein et al. Bio/Technology (1988) 6:559-563; McCabe et al. Bio/Technology (1988) 6:923-926; Sanford, Physiol. Plant. (1990) 79:206-209; by the use of micropipette systems: Neuhaus et al., Theor. Appl. Genet. (1987) 75:30-36; Neuhaus and Spangenberg, Physiol. Plant. (1990) 79:213-217; glass fibers or silicon carbide whisker transformation of cell cultures, embryos or callus tissue, U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,765 or by the direct incubation of DNA with germinating pollen, DeWet et al. in Experimental Manipulation of Ovule Tissue, eds. Chapman, G. P. and Mantell, S. H. and Daniels, W. Longman, London, (1985) p. 197-209; and Ohta, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1986) 83:715-719.

The Agrobacterium system includes the use of plasmid vectors that contain defined DNA segments that integrate into the plant genomic DNA. Methods of inoculation of the plant tissue vary depending upon the plant species and the Agrobacterium delivery system. A widely used approach is the leaf disc procedure which can be performed with any tissue explant that provides a good source for initiation of whole plant differentiation. See, e.g., Horsch et al. in Plant Molecular Biology Manual A5, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht (1988) p. 1-9. A supplementary approach employs the Agrobacterium delivery system in combination with vacuum infiltration. The Agrobacterium system is especially viable in the creation of transgenic dicotyledonous plants.

There are various methods of direct DNA transfer into plant cells. In electroporation, the protoplasts are briefly exposed to a strong electric field. In microinjection, the DNA is mechanically injected directly into the cells using very small micropipettes. In microparticle bombardment, the DNA is adsorbed on microprojectiles such as magnesium sulfate crystals or tungsten particles, and the microprojectiles are physically accelerated into cells or plant tissues.

Following stable transformation plant propagation is exercised. The most common method of plant propagation is by seed. Regeneration by seed propagation, however, has the deficiency that due to heterozygosity there is a lack of uniformity in the crop, since seeds are produced by plants according to the genetic variances governed by Mendelian rules. Basically, each seed is genetically different and each will grow with its own specific traits. Therefore, it is preferred that the transformed plant be produced such that the regenerated plant has the identical traits and characteristics of the parent transgenic plant. Therefore, it is preferred that the transformed plant be regenerated by micropropagation which provides a rapid, consistent reproduction of the transformed plants.

Micropropagation is a process of growing new generation plants from a single piece of tissue that has been excised from a selected parent plant or cultivar. This process permits the mass reproduction of plants having the preferred tissue expressing the fusion protein. The new generation plants which are produced are genetically identical to, and have all of the characteristics of, the original plant. Micropropagation allows mass production of quality plant material in a short period of time and offers a rapid multiplication of selected cultivars in the preservation of the characteristics of the original transgenic or transformed plant. The advantages of cloning plants are the speed of plant multiplication and the quality and uniformity of plants produced.

Micropropagation is a multi-stage procedure that requires alteration of culture medium or growth conditions between stages. Thus, the micropropagation process involves four basic stages: Stage one, initial tissue culturing; stage two, tissue culture multiplication; stage three, differentiation and plant formation; and stage four, greenhouse culturing and hardening. During stage one, initial tissue culturing, the tissue culture is established and certified contaminant-free. During stage two, the initial tissue culture is multiplied until a sufficient number of tissue samples are produced to meet production goals. During stage three, the tissue samples grown in stage two are divided and grown into individual plantlets. At stage four, the transformed plantlets are transferred to a greenhouse for hardening where the plants' tolerance to light is gradually increased so that it can be grown in the natural environment.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the transgenic plants are generated by transient transformation of leaf cells, meristematic cells or the whole plant.

Transient transformation can be effected by any of the direct DNA transfer methods described above or by viral infection using modified plant viruses.

Viruses that have been shown to be useful for the transformation of plant hosts include CaMV, TMV and BV. Transformation of plants using plant viruses is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,237 (BGV), EP-A 67,553 (TMV), Japanese Published Application No. 63-14693 (TMV), EPA 194,809 (BV), EPA 278,667 (BV); and Gluzman, Y. et al., Communications in Molecular Biology: Viral Vectors, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, pp. 172-189 (1988). Pseudovirus particles for use in expressing foreign DNA in many hosts, including plants are described in WO 87/06261.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the virus used for transient transformations is avirulent and thus is incapable of causing severe symptoms such as reduced growth rate, mosaic, ring spots, leaf roll, yellowing, streaking, pox formation, tumor formation and pitting. A suitable avirulent virus may be a naturally occurring avirulent virus or an artificially attenuated virus. Virus attenuation may be effected by using methods well known in the art including, but not limited to, sub-lethal heating, chemical treatment or by directed mutagenesis techniques such as described, for example, by Kurihara and Watanabe (Molecular Plant Pathology 4:259-269, 2003), Gal-on et al. (1992), Atreya et al. (1992) and Huet et al. (1994).

Suitable virus strains can be obtained from available sources such as, for example, the American Type culture Collection (ATCC) or by isolation from infected plants. Isolation of viruses from infected plant tissues can be effected by techniques well known in the art such as described, for example by Foster and Tatlor, Eds. “Plant Virology Protocols From Virus Isolation to Transgenic Resistance (Methods in Molecular Biology (Humana Pr), Vol 81)”, Humana Press, 1998. Briefly, tissues of an infected plant believed to contain a high concentration of a suitable virus, preferably young leaves and flower petals, are ground in a buffer solution (e.g., phosphate buffer solution) to produce a virus infected sap which can be used in subsequent inoculations.

Construction of plant RNA viruses for the introduction and expression of non-viral exogenous polynucleotide sequences in plants is demonstrated by the above references as well as by Dawson, W. O. et al., Virology (1989) 172:285-292; Takamatsu et al. EMBO J. (1987) 6:307-311; French et al. Science (1986) 231:1294-1297; and Takamatsu et al. FEBS Letters (1990) 269:73-76.

When the virus is a DNA virus, suitable modifications can be made to the virus itself. Alternatively, the virus can first be cloned into a bacterial plasmid for ease of constructing the desired viral vector with the foreign DNA. The virus can then be excised from the plasmid. If the virus is a DNA virus, a bacterial origin of replication can be attached to the viral DNA, which is then replicated by the bacteria. Transcription and translation of this DNA will produce the coat protein which will encapsidate the viral DNA. If the virus is an RNA virus, the virus is generally cloned as a cDNA and inserted into a plasmid. The plasmid is then used to make all of the constructions. The RNA virus is then produced by transcribing the viral sequence of the plasmid and translation of the viral genes to produce the coat protein(s) which encapsidate the viral RNA.

Construction of plant RNA viruses for the introduction and expression in plants of non-viral exogenous polynucleotide sequences such as those included in the construct of the present invention is demonstrated by the above references as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,931.

In one embodiment, a plant viral polynucleotide is provided in which the native coat protein coding sequence has been deleted from a viral polynucleotide, a non-native plant viral coat protein coding sequence and a non-native promoter, preferably the subgenomic promoter of the non-native coat protein coding sequence, capable of expression in the plant host, packaging of the recombinant plant viral polynucleotide, and ensuring a systemic infection of the host by the recombinant plant viral polynucleotide, has been inserted. Alternatively, the coat protein gene may be inactivated by insertion of the non-native polynucleotide sequence within it, such that a protein is produced. The recombinant plant viral polynucleotide may contain one or more additional non-native subgenomic promoters. Each non-native subgenomic promoter is capable of transcribing or expressing adjacent genes or polynucleotide sequences in the plant host and incapable of recombination with each other and with native subgenomic promoters. Non-native (foreign) polynucleotide sequences may be inserted adjacent the native plant viral subgenomic promoter or the native and a non-native plant viral subgenomic promoters if more than one polynucleotide sequence is included. The non-native polynucleotide sequences are transcribed or expressed in the host plant under control of the subgenomic promoter to produce the desired products.

In a second embodiment, a recombinant plant viral polynucleotide is provided as in the first embodiment except that the native coat protein coding sequence is placed adjacent one of the non-native coat protein subgenomic promoters instead of a non-native coat protein coding sequence.

In a third embodiment, a recombinant plant viral polynucleotide is provided in which the native coat protein gene is adjacent its subgenomic promoter and one or more non-native subgenomic promoters have been inserted into the viral polynucleotide. The inserted non-native subgenomic promoters are capable of transcribing or expressing adjacent genes in a plant host and are incapable of recombination with each other and with native subgenomic promoters. Non-native polynucleotide sequences may be inserted adjacent the non-native subgenomic plant viral promoters such that the sequences are transcribed or expressed in the host plant under control of the subgenomic promoters to produce the desired product.

In a fourth embodiment, a recombinant plant viral polynucleotide is provided as in the third embodiment except that the native coat protein coding sequence is replaced by a non-native coat protein coding sequence.

The viral vectors are encapsidated by the coat proteins encoded by the recombinant plant viral polynucleotide to produce a recombinant plant virus. The recombinant plant viral polynucleotide or recombinant plant virus is used to infect appropriate host plants. The recombinant plant viral polynucleotide is capable of replication in the host, systemic spread in the host, and transcription or expression of foreign gene(s) (exogenous polynucleotide) in the host to produce the desired protein.

Techniques for inoculation of viruses to plants may be found in Foster and Taylor, eds. “Plant Virology Protocols: From Virus Isolation to Transgenic Resistance (Methods in Molecular Biology (Humana Pr), Vol 81)”, Humana Press, 1998; Maramorosh and Koprowski, eds. “Methods in Virology” 7 vols, Academic Press, New York 1967-1984; Hill, S. A. “Methods in Plant Virology”, Blackwell, Oxford, 1984; Walkey, D. G. A. “Applied Plant Virology”, Wiley, New York, 1985; and Kado and Agrawa, eds. “Principles and Techniques in Plant Virology”, Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York.

In addition to the above, the polynucleotide of the present invention can also be introduced into a chloroplast genome thereby enabling chloroplast expression.

A technique for introducing exogenous polynucleotide sequences to the genome of the chloroplasts is known. This technique involves the following procedures. First, plant cells are chemically treated so as to reduce the number of chloroplasts per cell to about one. Then, the exogenous polynucleotide is introduced via particle bombardment into the cells with the aim of introducing at least one exogenous polynucleotide molecule into the chloroplasts. The exogenous polynucleotides selected such that it is integratable into the chloroplast's genome via homologous recombination which is readily effected by enzymes inherent to the chloroplast. To this end, the exogenous polynucleotide includes, in addition to a gene of interest, at least one polynucleotide stretch which is derived from the chloroplast's genome. In addition, the exogenous polynucleotide includes a selectable marker, which serves by sequential selection procedures to ascertain that all or substantially all of the copies of the chloroplast genomes following such selection will include the exogenous polynucleotide. Further details relating to this technique are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,945,050; and 5,693,507 which are incorporated herein by reference. A polypeptide can thus be produced by the protein expression system of the chloroplast and become integrated into the chloroplast's inner membrane.

Since increasing of the oil content, yield, biomass, growth rate and/or vigor in plants can involve multiple genes acting additively or in synergy (see, for example, in Quesda et al., Plant Physiol. 130:951-063, 2002), the invention also envisages expressing a plurality of exogenous polynucleotides in a single host plant to thereby achieve superior increase of oil content, yield, biomass, growth rate and/or vigor in plants.

Expressing a plurality of exogenous polynucleotides in a single host plant can be effected by co-introducing multiple nucleic acid constructs, each including a different exogenous polynucleotide, into a single plant cell. The transformed cell can then be regenerated into a mature plant using the methods described hereinabove.

Alternatively, expressing a plurality of exogenous polynucleotides in a single host plant can be effected by co-introducing into a single plant-cell a single nucleic-acid construct including a plurality of different exogenous polynucleotides. Such a construct can be designed with a single promoter sequence which can transcribe a polycistronic messager RNA including all the different exogenous polynucleotide sequences. To enable co-translation of the different polypeptides encoded by the polycistronic messager RNA, the polynucleotide sequences can be inter-linked via an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) sequence which facilitates translation of polynucleotide sequences positioned downstream of the IRES sequence. In this case, a transcribed polycistronic RNA molecule encoding the different polypeptides described above will be translated from both the capped 5′ end and the two internal IRES sequences of the polycistronic RNA molecule to thereby produce in the cell all different polypeptides. Alternatively, the construct can include several promoter sequences each linked to a different exogenous polynucleotide sequence.

The plant cell transformed with the construct including a plurality of different exogenous polynucleotides, can be regenerated into a mature plant, using the methods described hereinabove.

Alternatively, expressing a plurality of exogenous polynucleotides in a single host plant can be effected by introducing different nucleic acid constructs, including different exogenous polynucleotides into a plurality of plants. The regenerated transformed plants can then be cross-bred and resultant progeny selected for superior oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor, using conventional plant breeding techniques.

Thus, the invention encompasses plants exogenously expressing (as described above) the polynucleotide(s) and/or polypeptide(s) of the invention. Once expressed within the plant cell or the entire plant, the level of the polypeptide encoded by the exogenous polynucleotide can be determined by methods well known in the art such as, activity assays, Western blots using antibodies capable of specifically binding the polypeptide, Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA), radio-immuno-assays (RIA), immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and the like.

Methods of determining the level in the plant of the RNA transcribed from the exogenous polynucleotide are well known in the art and include, for example, Northern blot analysis, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis (including quantitative, semi-quantitative or real-time RT-PCR) and RNA-in situ hybridization.

The polynucleotides and polypeptides described hereinabove can be used in a wide range of economical plants, in a safe and cost effective manner.

The effect of the transgene (the exogenous polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide) on oil content, plant yield, seed yield, biomass, growth rate and/or vigor can be determined using known methods.

The oil content of a plant can be determined by extraction of the oil from the seed or the vegetative portion of the plant. Briefly, lipids (oil) can be removed from the plant (e.g., seed) by grinding the plant tissue in the presence of specific solvents (e.g., hexane or petroleum ether) and extracting the oil in a continuous extractor. Indirect oil content analysis can be carried out using various known methods such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, which measures the resonance energy absorbed by hydrogen atoms in the liquid state of the sample [See for example, Conway T F. and Earle F R., 1963, Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society; Springer Berlin/Heidelberg, ISSN: 0003-021×(Print) 1558-9331 (Online)]; the Near Infrared (NI) Spectroscopy, which utilizes the absorption of near infrared energy (1100-2500 nm) by the sample; and a method described in WO/2001/023884, which is based on extracting oil a solvent, evaporating the solvent in a gas stream which forms oil particles, and directing a light into the gas stream and oil particles which forms a detectable reflected light. Another method of determining oil content is described in Example 7 of the Examples section which follows.

The plant vigor can be calculated by the increase in growth parameters such as leaf area, rosette diameter, plant fresh weight and the like per time.

The growth rate can be measured using digital analysis of growing plants. For example, images of plants growing in greenhouse on plot basis can be captured every 3 days and the rosette area can be calculated by digital analysis. Rosette area growth is calculated using the difference of rosette area between days of sampling divided by the difference in days between samples.

Measurements of seed yield can be done by collecting the total seeds from 8-16 plants together, weighting them using analytical balance and dividing the total weight by the number of plants. Seed per growing area can be calculated in the same manner while taking into account the growing area given to a single plant. Increase seed yield per growing area could be achieved by increasing seed yield per plant, and/or by increasing number of plants capable of growing in a given area.

Evaluation of the seed yield per plant can be done by measuring the amount (weight or size) or quantity (i.e., number) of dry seeds produced and harvested from 8-16 plants and divided by the number of plants.

Evaluation of growth rate can be done by measuring plant biomass produced, rosette area, leaf size or root length per time (can be measured in cm² per day of leaf area).

Thus, the present invention is of high agricultural value for promoting the yield of commercially desired crops (e.g., seeds).

Any of the transgenic plants described hereinabove or parts thereof may be processed to produce a feed, meal, protein or oil preparation, such as for ruminant animals.

The transgenic plants described hereinabove, which exhibit an increased oil content can be used to produce plant oil (by extracting the oil from the plant).

The plant oil (including the seed oil and/or the vegetative portion oil) produced according to the method of the invention may be combined with a variety of other ingredients. The specific ingredients included in a product are determined according to the intended use. Exemplary products include animal feed, raw material for chemical modification, biodegradable plastic, blended food product, edible oil, biofuel, cooking oil, lubricant, biodiesel, snack food, cosmetics, and fermentation process raw material. Exemplary products to be incorporated to the plant oil include animal feeds, human food products such as extruded snack foods, breads, as a food binding agent, aquaculture feeds, fermentable mixtures, food supplements, sport drinks, nutritional food bars, multi-vitamin supplements, diet drinks, and cereal foods.

As used herein the term “about” refers to ±10%.

The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, “including”, “having” and their conjugates mean “including but not limited to”.

The term “consisting of means “including and limited to”.

The term “consisting essentially of” means that the composition, method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps and/or parts, but only if the additional ingredients, steps and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may include a plurality of compounds, including mixtures thereof.

Throughout this application, various embodiments of this invention may be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible sub-ranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed sub-ranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The phrases “ranging/ranges between” a first indicate number and a second indicate number and “ranging/ranges from” a first indicate number “to” a second indicate number are used herein interchangeably and are meant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.

As used herein the term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the chemical, pharmacological, biological, biochemical and medical arts.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Various embodiments and aspects of the present invention as delineated hereinabove and as claimed in the claims section below find experimental support in the following examples.

EXAMPLES

Reference is now made to the following examples, which together with the above descriptions illustrate some embodiments of the invention in a non limiting fashion.

Generally, the nomenclature used herein and the laboratory procedures utilized in the present invention include molecular, biochemical, microbiological and recombinant DNA techniques. Such techniques are thoroughly explained in the literature. See, for example, “Molecular Cloning: A laboratory Manual” Sambrook et al., (1989); “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology” Volumes I-III Ausubel, R. M., ed. (1994); Ausubel et al., “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology”, John Wiley and Sons, Baltimore, Md. (1989); Perbal, “A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning”, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1988); Watson et al., “Recombinant DNA”, Scientific American Books, New York; Birren et al. (eds) “Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual Series”, Vols. 1-4, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York (1998); methodologies as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,666,828; 4,683,202; 4,801,531; 5,192,659 and 5,272,057; “Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook”, Volumes I-III Cellis, J. E., ed. (1994); “Current Protocols in Immunology” Volumes I-III Coligan J. E., ed. (1994); Stites et al. (eds), “Basic and Clinical Immunology” (8th Edition), Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, Conn. (1994); Mishell and Shiigi (eds), “Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology”, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York (1980); available immunoassays are extensively described in the patent and scientific literature, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,932; 3,839,153; 3,850,752; 3,850,578; 3,853,987; 3,867,517; 3,879,262; 3,901,654; 3,935,074; 3,984,533; 3,996,345; 4,034,074; 4,098,876; 4,879,219; 5,011,771 and 5,281,521; “Oligonucleotide Synthesis” Gait, M. J., ed. (1984); “Nucleic Acid Hybridization” Hames, B. D., and Higgins S. J., eds. (1985); “Transcription and Translation” Hames, B. D., and Higgins S. J., Eds. (1984); “Animal Cell Culture” Freshney, R. I., ed. (1986); “Immobilized Cells and Enzymes” IRL Press, (1986); “A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning” Perbal, B., (1984) and “Methods in Enzymology” Vol. 1-317, Academic Press; “PCR Protocols: A Guide To Methods And Applications”, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990); Marshak et al., “Strategies for Protein Purification and Characterization—A Laboratory Course Manual” CSHL Press (1996); all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Other general references are provided throughout this document. The procedures therein are believed to be well known in the art and are provided for the convenience of the reader. All the information contained therein is incorporated herein by reference.

Example 1 Gene Identification and Gene Role Prediction Using Bioinformatics Tools

Genes encoding polypeptides, suitable for increasing seed oil and seed yield were identified by in-depth analysis of RNA expression profiles, sequence similarities, gene annotations, biochemical pathways, DNA, ESTs, protein and expression databases deposited in the internet.

Bioinformatics Tools

In-silico gene identification—To identify novel genes which could greatly affect seed oil yield, Arabidopsis genes, already found to play key role in embryogenesis, seed development and oil synthesis and accumulation were identified in the literature (‘oil hook genes’—OHGs). OHGs number is according to TAIR website [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) arabidopsis (dot) org/] and includes all information on the OHGs. OHGs include wild-type alleles of Ssi2 (AT2G43710), OleosinA (AT3G01570), Lec1 (AT1G21970), Lec2 (AT1G28300), Fus3 (AT3G26790), FAD3 (AT2G29980), ABI3 (AT3G24650) and Wri1 (AT3G54320). Comparison of gene expression profile in 79 different developmental stages of Arabidopsis was done on the OHGs genes and all other genes printed on the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre [(NASC), Hypertext Transfer Protocol://affymetrix (dot) arabidopsis (dot) info/)] micro-arrays describing anatomy, development and various stress experiments. Correlation was determined using the Pearson correlation statistic analysis [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://davidmlane (dot) com/hyperstat/A34739 (dot) html].

The criteria used for each of the genes are described in detail in Table 1 below and cover a variety of biological rationales that use various bioinformatics approaches. The genes were selected to cause changes in seed size and/or seed oil yield based on their highest expression correlation (given as Pearson R values between 0.7<R<1) to one or more of the OHGs. The list of genes identified and their correlation (R value) to each of the OHGs are provided in Table 1, hereinbelow.

TABLE 1 Table 1 Nucl. Prot. SEQ SEQ Serial ID ID BDL TAIR-gene R R R No NO: NO: No name R wri1 abi3 R fus3 oleosin A R ssi2 R fad3 R lec1 lec2 1 1 166   3 AT5G50770 0.891 0.986 0.897 0.791 0.882 2 2 167   1 AT1G65090 0.995 0.921 0.997 0.715 0.902 3 3 168   2 AT1G34580 0.955 0.915 4 4 169   4 AT2G45420 0.933 0.893 0.713 0.74 0.716 0.759 0.76 5 5 170   5 AT3G14360 0.969 0.96 0.97 0.731 0.914 6 6 171   6 AT4G10490 0.912 0.88 0.725 0.76 0.71 0.757 0.755 7 7 172   7 AT5G51490 0.901 0.722 0.92 0.745 0.79 0.797 8 8 173   8 AT3G03240 0.947 0.982 0.956 0.775 0.912 9 9 174   9 AT5G24130 0.988 0.917 0.987 0.91 10 10 175  10 AT5G09640 0.719 0.905 0.98 0.91 0.8 0.908 11 11 176  11 AT5G12460 0.815 0.969 0.911 12 12 177  12 AT4G08530 0.931 0.919 13 13 178  14 AT1G53690 0.931 0.792 0.74 14 14 179  15 AT1G68510 0.905 0.938 0.913 15 15 180  16 AT5G03800 0.8 0.878 0.966 0.894 0.797 0.882 16 16 181  17 AT5G36770 0.922 0.921 17 17 182  18 AT5G40420 0.997 0.894 0.9996 0.886 18 18 183  19 AT2G02080 0.702 0.741 0.72 0.748 19 19 184  20a AT1G47540.1 0.993 0.915 0.995 0.71 0.892 20 20 185  20b AT1G47540.2 0.993 0.915 0.995 0.71 0.892 21 21 186  21 AT3G62730 0.995 0.92 0.993 0.711 0.903 22 22 187  22 AT2G27380 0.995 0.873 0.997 0.875 23 23 188  23 AT3G27785 0.939 0.867 0.81 24 24 189 2991 AT5G15000 0.955 0.959 0.957 0.739 0.902 25 25 190  25 AT3G20910 0.963 0.943 0.962 0.883 26 26 191  26a AT1G11170.1 0.926 0.981 0.929 0.765 0.894 27 27 192  26b AT1G11170.2 0.926 0.981 0.929 0.765 0.894 28 28 193  27 AT1G68380 0.97 0.965 0.977 0.77 0.92 29 29 194  28 AT1G09380 0.705 0.899 0.95 0.91 0.756 0.897 30 30 195  29 AT1G60970 0.92 0.709 0.908 0.746 0.78 0.747 0.742 0.745 31 31 196  30 AT1G72580 0.935 0.917 32 32 197  31 AT2G28490 0.998 0.871 0.995 0.882 33 33 198  32a AT2G46960.1 0.89 0.937 0.9 34 34 199  32b AT2G46960.2 0.89 0.937 0.9 35 35 200  166 AT1G71691 0.938 0.71 0.723 0.713 36 36 201  330 AT1G73220 0.761 0.755 0.759 0.768 37 37 202 3004 AT5G01790 0.792 0.899 0.85 38 38 203  333 AT1G71120 0.866 0.925 0.856 39 39 204  334 AT5G38170 0.937 0.869 0.744 0.81 0.793 40 40 205  335 AT3G25160 0.88 0.874 0.747 0.761 41 41 206  336 AT1G18100 0.917 0.851 0.751 0.711 42 42 207  337 AT2G22620 0.906 0.927 0.888 43 43 208  339 AT3G26480 0.785 0.717 0.784 44 44 209  340 AT1G64660 0.872 0.854 0.882 0.808 45 45 210  341 AT5G52330 0.811 0.796 0.774 46 46 211  341 AT5G52330 0.811 0.796 0.774 47 47 212  342 AT1G52670 0.802 48 48 213  343 AT5G64080 0.923 0.876 0.923 0.92 49 49 214  343 AT5G64080 0.923 0.876 0.923 0.92 50 50 215  344 AT2G43060 0.726 0.857 0.794 51 51 216  345 AT1G27330 0.839 0.856 0.837 0.814 52 52 217 2999 AT2G41340 0.816 0.745 0.744 53 54 219 2810 AT2G13290 0.878 0.76 0.876 0.74 54 55 220  349 AT4G33670 0.861 0.855 0.734 55 56 221  350 AT5G04500 0.899 0.702 0.894 0.756 56 64 229  358 AT3G01570 0.996 0.904 1 0.891 57 65 230  359 AT2G15010 0.944 0.955 0.942 0.763 0.924 58 66 231  362 AT2G25940 0.791 0.873 0.977 0.885 0.777 0.873 59 67 232  364 AT1G04660 0.94 0.882 0.763 0.715 0.777 0.768 60 68 233  365 AT1G05160 0.945 0.857 0.814 61 69 234 2992 AT1G05280 0.939 0.805 0.859 0.84 62 70 235 2993 AT1G19900 0.975 0.909 0.962 0.898 63 71 236  368 AT1G23200 0.852 0.957 0.906 64 72 237  369 AT1G26680 0.93 0.738 0.717 65 73 238  370 AT1G28590 0.937 0.855 0.813 66 74 239  371 AT1G48910 0.877 0.753 0.912 0.77 0.808 0.807 67 75 240 2995 AT1G51000 0.906 0.785 0.77 68 76 241  373 AT1G62340 0.712 0.978 0.903 69 77 242  374 AT1G62610 0.946 0.909 0.938 0.891 70 78 243  374 AT1G62610 0.946 0.909 0.938 0.891 71 79 244  374 AT1G62610 0.946 0.909 0.938 0.891 72 80 245  375 AT1G76290 0.735 0.91 0.967 0.923 0.803 0.904 73 81 246  376 AT1G68470 0.917 0.814 74 82 247  377 AT1G71250 0.922 0.93 0.881 75 83 248  379 AT3G58200 0.719 0.897 0.973 0.907 0.771 0.914 76 84 249  380 AT1G78500 0.731 0.844 0.964 0.843 0.788 0.879 77 85 250  381 AT2G14690 0.972 0.916 78 86 251  382 AT3G63040 0.949 0.979 0.962 0.783 0.907 79 87 252  383 AT2G15325 0.978 0.929 80 88 253  384 AT2G23510 0.804 0.767 0.943 0.777 0.789 0.85 81 89 254  385 AT2G26070 0.927 0.827 0.762 82 90 255 2997 AT2G28650 0.811 0.711 0.953 0.939 83 91 256 2998 AT2G41290 0.827 0.869 0.779 0.786 84 92 257  389 AT2G42860 0.903 0.829 0.727 0.825 0.813 85 93 258  390 AT2G47750 0.906 0.744 0.784 0.754 86 94 259  391 AT3G03230 0.828 0.844 0.954 0.854 0.783 0.833 87 95 260  392 AT3G04200 0.912 0.827 0.733 88 96 261  393 AT3G21840 0.702 0.968 0.928 89 97 262 3000 AT3G22640 0.995 0.855 0.991 0.873 90 98 263  395 AT3G49380 0.919 0.724 0.843 0.784 91 99 264 3001 AT4G03050 0.93 0.847 0.749 92 100 265 3001 AT4G03050 0.93 0.847 0.749 93 101 266 3003 AT4G19380 0.783 0.792 0.913 0.803 0.826 0.839 94 102 267  398 AT4G27460 0.992 0.896 0.985 0.897 95 103 268  399 AT4G33280 0.885 0.715 0.912 0.732 0.811 0.8 96 104 269  400 AT4G33600 0.917 0.908 0.851 97 105 270  401 AT5G07260 0.956 0.82 0.73 98 106 271 3007 AT5G08460 0.955 0.768 0.702 0.757 0.747 99 107 272  403 AT2G34700 0.932 0.903 0.783 0.741 100 108 273  404 AT5G15740 0.911 0.712 0.883 0.818 101 109 274  405 AT5G16230 0.812 0.82 0.961 0.834 0.773 0.858 102 110 275  406 AT5G18290 0.905 0.722 0.821 0.803 103 111 276 2814 AT5G25470 0.901 0.748 0.711 104 112 277  408 AT5G39130 0.951 0.726 0.769 0.75 105 113 278  409 AT5G39160 0.94 0.729 0.829 0.789 106 114 279  409 AT5G39160 0.94 0.729 0.829 0.789 107 115 280  410 AT5G39190 0.951 0.795 0.706 0.754 0.737 108 116 281  411 AT5G44360 0.828 0.833 0.975 0.855 0.804 0.849 109 117 282  412 AT5G47670 0.957 0.797 0.759 110 118 283 3008 AT5G49820 0.905 0.715 111 119 284  414 AT5G56300 0.936 0.823 0.717 0.712 112 120 285  416 AT5G59170 0.995 0.852 0.991 0.87 113 121 286  418 AT1G28640 0.967 0.949 0.975 0.752 0.92 114 122 287  419 AT1G22990 0.789 0.889 0.794 0.738 115 123 288 2816a AT1G64110.1 0.883 0.869 0.701 116 124 289 2816b AT1G64110.2 0.883 0.869 0.701 117 125 290  421 AT1G04380 0.971 0.798 0.717 0.772 0.749 118 126 291 2817 AT1G08810 0.888 0.948 0.885 0.831 0.862 119 127 292 2817 AT1G08810 0.888 0.948 0.885 0.831 0.862 120 128 293  423 AT1G28170 0.962 0.903 121 129 294  424 AT1G28650 0.821 0.843 0.974 0.853 0.801 0.844 122 130 295  425 AT3G10590 0.969 0.944 123 131 296  426 AT3G58740 0.948 0.842 0.745 124 132 297  427 AT4G02360 0.941 0.941 0.937 0.731 0.915 125 133 298  428 AT4G36700 0.965 0.967 0.976 0.768 0.899 126 134 299  429 AT5G07200 0.957 0.851 0.753 0.725 0.71 127 135 300  430 AT5G22810 0.958 0.702 0.86 0.834 128 136 301  431 AT5G43860 0.866 0.916 0.868 0.776 0.817 129 137 302  432 AT5G57390 0.989 0.914 0.987 0.713 0.916 130 138 303  433 AT5G62800 0.961 0.967 0.962 0.769 0.913 131 139 304  435 AT5G52500 0.956 0.876 132 140 305  436 AT5G24600 0.956 0.902 0.954 0.863 133 141 306 2818 AT2G23550 0.829 0.928 0.839 134 142 307 2818 AT2G23550 0.829 0.928 0.839 135 146 311  441 AT5G48100 0.737 0.923 0.95 0.944 0.761 0.864 136 147 312  442 AT1G14760 0.708 0.874 0.93 0.876 0.831 0.877 137 148 313  443 AT1G15150 0.871 0.971 0.92 138 149 314  444 AT1G20500 0.92 0.783 0.904 0.874 139 150 315  445 AT1G56170 0.966 0.751 0.782 0.751 140 151 316 2996 AT1G62070 0.956 0.847 0.797 141 152 317  447 AT1G67100 0.967 0.969 0.973 0.761 0.914 142 153 318  448 AT3G21090 0.902 0.724 143 154 319  449 AT3G24250 0.826 0.986 0.931 144 155 320  450 AT3G50990 0.715 0.982 0.914 145 156 321  451 AT4G00220 0.905 0.741 0.923 0.773 0.782 0.779 0.7 0.703 146 157 322  452 AT4G10150 0.706 0.875 0.95 0.883 0.821 0.886 147 158 323 3006 AT5G07190 0.998 0.903 0.997 0.901 148 159 324 3006 AT5G07190 0.998 0.903 0.997 0.901 149 160 325  455 AT5G10220 0.722 0.984 0.917 150 161 326  456 AT5G20940 0.969 0.901 0.961 0.901 151 162 327  457 AT5G51210 0.907 0.7 0.925 0.734 0.788 0.752 0.702 0.7 152 163 328  458 AT5G55620 0.704 0.769 0.898 0.776 0.871 0.8 153 164 329  459 AT5G60460 0.987 0.931 0.988 0.902 154 165 330  460 AT5G65590 0.793 0.725 0.882 0.754 0.783 0.77 155 332 351 2991 AT5G15000 0.955 0.959 0.957 0.739 0.902 156 333 352 2992 AT1G05280 0.939 0.805 0.859 0.84 157 334 353 2993 AT1G19900 0.975 0.909 0.962 0.898 158 336 355 2995 AT1G51000 0.906 0.785 0.77 159 337 356 2996 AT1G62070 0.956 0.847 0.797 160 338 357 2997 AT2G28650 0.811 0.711 0.953 0.939 161 339 358 2998 AT2G41290 0.827 0.869 0.779 0.786 162 340 359 2999 AT2G41340 0.816 0.745 0.744 163 341 360 3000 AT3G22640 0.995 0.855 0.991 0.873 164 342 361 3001 AT4G03050 0.93 0.847 0.749 165 344 363 3003 AT4G19380 0.783 0.792 0.913 0.803 0.826 0.839 166 345 364 3004 AT5G01790 0.792 0.899 0.85 167 347 366 3006 AT5G07190 0.998 0.903 0.997 0.901 168 348 367 3007 AT5G08460 0.955 0.768 0.702 0.757 0.747 169 349 368 3008 AT5G49820 0.905 0.715

Additional genes which are predicted to affect seed oil synthesis and which were identified using bioinformatics tools are provided in Table 2, below.

TABLE 2 Table 2 Polynucleotide Polypeptide Serial No SEQ ID NO: SEQ ID NO: BDL No. TAIR-gene name 1 53 218 3005 AT5G03450.1 2 57 222 351 AT1G27120.1 3 58 223 352 AT5G01820.1 4 59 224 353 AT2G32780.1 5 60 225 354 AT3G16490.1 6 61 226 355 AT5G23050.1 7 62 227 3002 AT4G16050.1 8 63 228 2994 AT1G44760.1 9 143 308 438 AT1G72040 10 144 309 439 AT1G53070 11 145 310 440 AT1G50510 12 331 350 2990 AT5G14995 13 335 354 2994 AT1G44760 14 343 362 3002 AT4G16050 15 346 365 3005 AT5G03450

Example 2 Production of Arabidopsis Transcriptom and High Throughput Correlation Analysis Using 44K Arabidopsis Full Genome Oligonucleotide Micro-Array

In order to produce a high throughput correlation analysis, the present inventors utilized an Arabidopsis thaliana oligonucleotide micro-array, produced by Agilent Technologies [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) chem. (dot) agilent (dot) com/Scripts/PDS (dot) asp?1 Page=50879]. The array oligonucleotide represents about 40,000 A. thaliana genes and transcripts designed based on data from the TIGR ATH1 v.5 database and Arabidopsis MPSS (University of Delaware) databases. In order to define correlations between the levels of RNA expression and yield components or vigor related parameters, various plant characteristics of 15 different Arabidopsis ecotypes were analyzed. Among them, nine ecotypes encompassing the observed variance were selected for RNA expression analysis. The correlation between the RNA levels and the characterized parameters was analyzed using Pearson correlation test [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) davidmlane (dot) com/hyperstat/A34739 (dot) html].

Experimental Procedures

RNA extraction—Five tissues at different developmental stages [root, leaf, flower at anthesis, seed at 5 days after flowering (DAF) and seed at 12 DAF], representing different plant characteristics, were sampled and RNA was extracted using TRIzol Reagent from Invitrogen [Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) invitrogen (dot) com/content (dot)cfm?pageid=469]. For convenience, each micro-array expression information tissue type has received a Set ID as summarized in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Table 3 Arabidopsis transcriptom experimental sets Expression Set Set ID Root A Leaf B Flower C Seed 5 DAF D Seed 12 DAF E

Approximately 30-50 mg of tissue was taken from samples. The weighed tissues were ground using pestle and mortar in liquid nitrogen and resuspended in 500 μl of TRIzol Reagent. To the homogenized lysate, 100 μl of chloroform was added followed by precipitation using isopropanol and two washes with 75% ethanol. The RNA was eluted in 30 μl of RNase-free water. RNA samples were cleaned up using Qiagen's RNeasy minikit clean-up protocol as per the manufacturer's protocol.

Yield component and vigor related parameters assessment—8 Arabidopsis ecotypes in 5 repetitive blocks (named A, B, C, D and E), each containing 20 plants per plot were grown at control conditions greenhouse 22° C., 20:20:20 (weight ratios) N:P:K [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)] fertilizer was added. During this time data was collected documented and analyzed. Additional data was collected through the seedling stage of plants grown at tissue culture in vertical grown transparent agar plates. Data parameters collected are summarized in Table 4, below.

TABLE 4 Table 4 Arabidopsis correlated parameters (vectors) Correlated parameter with Correlation Id Root length day 13 (cm) 1 Root length day 7 (cm) 2 Relative root growth (cm/day) day 13 3 Fresh weight per plant (gr) at bolting stage 4 Dry matter per plant (gr) 5 Vegetative growth rate (cm²/day) till 8 true leaves 6 Blade circularity 7 Lamina width (cm) 8 Lamina length (cm) 9 Total leaf area per plant (cm) 10 1000 Seed weight (gr) 11 Oil % per seed 12 Seeds per silique 13 Silique length (cm) 14 Seed yield per plant (gr) 15 Oil yield per plant (mg) 16 Harvest Index 17 Leaf width/length 18

Most of chosen parameters were analyzed by digital imaging.

Digital imaging—A laboratory image acquisition system, which consists of a digital reflex camera (Canon EOS 300D) attached with a 55 mm focal length lens (Canon EF-S series), mounted on a reproduction device (Kaiser R S), which included 4 light units (4×150 Watts light bulb) and located in a darkroom, was used for capturing images of plantlets sawn in square agar plates.

The image capturing process was repeated every 2 days starting at day 7 till day 14. The same camera attached with a 24 mm focal length lens (Canon EF series), placed in a custom made iron mount, was used for capturing images of larger plants sawn in white tubs in an environmental controlled greenhouse (as seen on FIG. 2 b). The white tubs were square shape with measurements of 36×26.2 cm and 7.5 cm deep. During the capture process, the tubs were placed beneath the iron mount, while avoiding direct sun light and casting of shadows. This process was repeated every 3-4 days for up to 30 days.

An image analysis system was used, which consists of a personal desktop computer (Intel P4 3.0 GHz processor) and a public domain program—ImageJ 1.37 (Java based image processing program which was developed at the U.S National Institutes of Health and freely available on the internet at Hypertext Transfer Protocol://rsbweb (dot) nih (dot) gov/). Images were captured in resolution of 6 Mega Pixels (3072×2048 pixels) and stored in a low compression JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group standard) format. Next, analyzed data was saved to text files and processed using the JMP statistical analysis software (SAS institute).

Leaf analysis—Using the digital analysis leaves data was calculated, including leaf number, area, perimeter, length and width. On day 30, 3-4 representative plants were chosen from each plot of blocks A, B and C. The plants were dissected, each leaf was separated and was introduced between two glass trays, a photo of each plant was taken and the various parameters (such as leaf total area, laminar length etc.) were calculated from the images (FIGS. 1 a-d). The blade circularity was calculated as laminar width divided by laminar length.

Root analysis—During 17 days, the different ecotypes were grown in transparent agar plates. The plates were photographed every 2 days starting at day 7 in the photography room and the roots development was documented (FIGS. 2 a-b).

The growth rate was calculated according to the following formula I.

Relative growth area rate=(ΔArea/Δt)*(1/Area t0)  Formula I

Δt is the current analyzed image day subtracted from the initial day (t−t0). Thus, the relative growth area rate is in units of 1/day and length growth rate is in units of 1/day.

Vegetative growth rate analysis—The growth rate was calculated by dividing the area added (ΔArea) by the number of days for each interval (Δt). The analysis was ended with the appearance of overlapping plants.

The growth rate was calculated according to formula II.

Growth rate=ΔArea/Δt  Formula II

For comparison between ecotypes the calculated rate was normalized using plant developmental stage as represented by the number of true leaves. In cases where plants with 8 leaves had been sampled twice (for example at day 10 and day 13), only the largest sample was chosen and added to the Anova comparison.

Seeds in siliques analysis—On day 70, 15-17 siliques were collected from each plot in blocks D and E. The chosen siliques were light brown color but still intact. The siliques were opened in the photography room and the seeds were scatter on a glass tray, a high resolution digital picture was taken for each plot. Using the images the number of seeds per silique was determined.

Seeds average weight—At the end of the experiment all seeds from plots A-C were collected. An average weight of 0.02 grams was measured from each sample, the seeds were scattered on a glass tray and a picture was taken. Using the digital analysis, the number of seeds in each sample was calculated.

Oil percentage in seeds—At the end of the experiment all seeds from plots A-C were collected. Columbia seeds from 3 plots were mixed grounded and then mounted onto the extraction chamber. 210 ml of n-Hexane (Cat No. 080951 Biolab Ltd.) were used as the solvent. The extraction was performed for 30 hours at medium heat 50° C. Once the extraction has ended the n-Hexane was evaporated using the evaporator at 35° C. and vacuum conditions. The process was repeated twice. The information gained from the Soxhlet extractor (Soxhlet, F. Die gewichtsanalytische Bestimmung des Milchfettes, Polytechnisches J. (Dingler's) 1879, 232, 461) was used to create a calibration curve for the Low Resonance NMR. The content of oil of all seed samples was determined using the Low Resonance NMR (MARAN Ultra-Oxford Instrument) and its MultiQuant software package.

Silique length analysis—On day 50 from sowing, 30 siliques from different plants in each plot were sampled in block A. The chosen siliques were green-yellow in color and were collected from the bottom parts of a grown plant's stem. A digital photograph was taken to determine silique's length.

Dry weight and seed yield—On day 80 from sowing, the plants from blocks A-C were harvested and left to dry at 30° C. in a drying chamber. The biomass and seed weight of each plot was separated, measured and divided by the number of plants. Dry weight=total weight of the vegetetative portion above ground (excluding roots) after drying at 30° C. in a drying chamber; Seed yield per plant=total seed weight per plant (gr).

Oil yield—The oil yield was calculated using Formula III.

Seed Oil yield=Seed yield per plant (gr)*Oil % in seed  Formula III

Harvest Index—The harvest index was calculated using Formula IV.

Harvest Index=Average seed yield per plant/Average dry weight  Formula IV

Experimental Results

Nine different Arabidopsis ecotypes were grown and characterized for 18 parameters (named as vectors). The characterized values are summarized in Tables 5 and 6 below.

TABLE 5 Table 5 Arabidopsis ecotypes, measured parameters Seed Oil Dry Total yield yield 1000 matter leaf area per per Seed per per Seeds Silique plant plant Oil % weight plant Harvest plant per length Ecotype (gr) (mg) per seed (gr) (gr) Index (cm) silique (cm) An-1 0.34 118.63 34.42 0.0203 0.64 0.53 46.86 45.44 1.06 Col-0 0.44 138.73 31.19 0.0230 1.27 0.35 109.89 53.47 1.26 Ct-1 0.59 224.06 38.05 0.0252 1.05 0.56 58.36 58.47 1.31 Cvi 0.42 116.26 27.76 0.0344 1.28 0.33 56.80 35.27 1.47 (N8580) Gr-6 0.61 218.27 35.49 0.0202 1.69 0.37 114.66 48.56 1.24 Kondara 0.43 142.11 32.91 0.0263 1.34 0.32 110.82 37.00 1.09 Ler-1 0.36 114.15 31.56 0.0205 0.81 0.45 88.49 39.38 1.18 Mt-0 0.62 190.06 30.79 0.0226 1.21 0.51 121.79 40.53 1.18 Shakdara 0.55 187.62 34.02 0.0235 1.35 0.41 93.04 25.53 1.00

TABLE 6 Table 6 Arabidopsis ecotypes, additional measured parameters Fresh Vegetative Relative weight growth root per rate growth Root Root plant (cm²/day) (cm/ length length (gr) at Lamina Lamina Leaf till 8 true day) day 7 day 13 bolting length width width/ Blade Ecotype leaves day 13 (cm) (cm) stage (cm) (cm) length circularity An-1 0.313 0.631 0.937 4.419 1.510 2.767 1.385 0.353 0.509 Col-0 0.378 0.664 1.759 8.530 3.607 3.544 1.697 0.288 0.481 Ct-1 0.484 1.176 0.701 5.621 1.935 3.274 1.460 0.316 0.450 Cvi 0.474 1.089 0.728 4.834 2.082 3.785 1.374 0.258 0.370 (N8580) Gr-6 0.425 0.907 0.991 5.957 3.556 3.690 1.828 0.356 0.501 Kondara 0.645 0.774 1.163 6.372 4.338 4.597 1.650 0.273 0.376 Ler-1 0.430 0.606 1.284 5.649 3.467 3.877 1.510 0.305 0.394 Mt-0 0.384 0.701 1.414 7.060 3.479 3.717 1.817 0.335 0.491 Shakdara 0.471 0.782 1.251 7.041 3.710 4.149 1.668 0.307 0.409

The selected genes, their R (calculated using Pearson correlation), the characterized parameters used as x axis for correlation and the tissue transcriptom correlated with are summarized in Table 7, below.

TABLE 7 Table 7 Arabidopsis selected genes and their correlation with yield components among different transcriptom sets Nucleotide Polypeptide SEQ ID SEQ ID Exp. Correl. NO: NO: Gene Name Cluster Name Set Vector R 1 3 168 BDL2 arabidopsis|6|AT1G34580 B 8 0.77 2 3 168 BDL2 arabidopsis|6|AT1G34580 D 15 0.75 3 3 168 BDL2 arabidopsis|6|AT1G34580 D 16 0.71 4 6 171 BDL6 arabidopsis|6|AT4G10490 E 12 −0.7 5 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 A 15 0.76 6 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 A 16 0.74 7 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 B 4 −0.78 8 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 B 9 −0.77 9 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 B 10 −0.73 10 7 172 BDL7 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51490 B 17 0.88 11 8 173 BDL8 arabidopsis|6|AT3G03240 D 15 0.87 12 8 173 BDL8 arabidopsis|6|AT3G03240 D 16 0.89 13 9 174 BDL9 arabidopsis|6|AT5G24130 D 15 0.75 14 9 174 BDL9 arabidopsis|6|AT5G24130 D 16 0.75 15 9 174 BDL9 arabidopsis|6|AT5G24130 E 13 0.75 16 10 175 BDL10 arabidopsis|6|AT5G09640 E 11 0.72 17 13 178 BDL14 arabidopsis|6|AT1G53690 B 11 0.87 18 13 178 BDL14 arabidopsis|6|AT1G53690 B 12 −0.71 19 13 178 BDL14 arabidopsis|6|AT1G53690 B 14 0.71 20 13 178 BDL14 arabidopsis|6|AT1G53690 E 11 0.72 21 14 179 BDL15 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68510 E 15 0.72 22 16 181 BDL17 arabidopsis|6|AT5G36770 D 15 0.75 23 18 183 BDL19 arabidopsis|6|AT2G02080 C 16 0.7 24 18 183 BDL19 arabidopsis|6|AT2G02080 D 17 0.72 25 19 184 BDL20a arabidopsis|6|AT1G47540 A 11 0.85 26 20 185 BDL20b arabidopsis|6|AT1G47540 A 11 0.85 27 21 186 BDL21 arabidopsis|6|AT3G62730 D 17 0.8 28 21 186 BDL21 arabidopsis|6|AT3G62730 E 11 0.79 29 21 186 BDL21 arabidopsis|6|AT3G62730 E 14 0.79 30 22 187 BDL22 arabidopsis|6|AT2G27380 A 11 0.81 31 22 187 BDL22 arabidopsis|6|AT2G27380 A 12 −0.75 32 23 188 BDL23 arabidopsis|6|AT3G27785 E 11 0.7 33 23 188 BDL23 arabidopsis|6|AT3G27785 E 12 −0.86 34 23 188 BDL23 arabidopsis|6|AT3G27785 E 14 0.71 35 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 A 5 0.77 36 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 A 8 0.7 37 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 B 12 0.72 38 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 B 16 0.75 39 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 C 15 0.77 40 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 C 16 0.81 41 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 D 12 0.77 42 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 D 15 0.73 43 25 190 BDL25 arabidopsis|6|AT3G20910 D 16 0.8 44 26 191 BDL26a arabidopsis|6|AT1G11170 C 15 −0.77 45 27 192 BDL26b arabidopsis|6|AT1G11170 C 15 −0.77 46 28 193 BDL27 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68380 A 13 −0.71 47 28 193 BDL27 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68380 C 13 −0.75 48 28 193 BDL27 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68380 E 11 0.71 49 28 193 BDL27 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68380 E 14 0.74 50 29 194 BDL28 arabidopsis|6|AT1G09380 C 11 0.87 51 29 194 BDL28 arabidopsis|6|AT1G09380 C 12 −0.79 52 29 194 BDL28 arabidopsis|6|AT1G09380 C 14 0.73 53 29 194 BDL28 arabidopsis|6|AT1G09380 E 15 0.83 54 29 194 BDL28 arabidopsis|6|AT1G09380 E 16 0.8 55 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 B 9 −0.74 56 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 C 11 0.76 57 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 D 12 0.87 58 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 D 15 0.88 59 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 D 16 0.93 60 30 195 BDL29 arabidopsis|6|AT1G60970 E 11 0.8 61 32 197 BDL31 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28490 A 11 0.85 62 32 197 BDL31 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28490 A 12 −0.74 63 32 197 BDL31 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28490 A 14 0.71 64 35 200 BDL166 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71691 D 12 0.78 65 35 200 BDL166 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71691 D 17 0.72 66 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 arabidopsis|6|AT1G73220 B 6 0.8 67 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 arabidopsis|6|AT1G73220 C 12 −0.78 68 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 arabidopsis|6|AT1G73220 C 17 −0.77 69 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 arabidopsis|6|AT1G73220 D 17 −0.76 70 37 202 BDL_unnamed_331 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01790 B 5 0.85 71 37 202 BDL_unnamed_331 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01790 E 14 0.72 72 38 203 BDL_unnamed_333 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71120 B 12 −0.77 73 38 203 BDL_unnamed_333 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71120 B 14 0.77 74 38 203 BDL_unnamed_333 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71120 E 11 0.82 75 38 203 BDL_unnamed_333 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71120 E 14 0.88 76 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 arabidopsis|6|AT5G38170 D 15 0.82 77 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 arabidopsis|6|AT5G38170 D 16 0.81 78 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 arabidopsis|6|AT5G38170 E 11 0.87 79 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 arabidopsis|6|AT5G38170 E 12 −0.75 80 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 arabidopsis|6|AT5G38170 E 14 0.79 81 40 205 BDL_unnamed_335 arabidopsis|6|AT3G25160 A 1 −0.89 82 40 205 BDL_unnamed_335 arabidopsis|6|AT3G25160 A 2 −0.76 83 40 205 BDL_unnamed_335 arabidopsis|6|AT3G25160 E 11 0.71 84 42 207 BDL_unnamed_337 arabidopsis|6|AT2G22620 A 13 −0.76 85 42 207 BDL_unnamed_337 arabidopsis|6|AT2G22620 E 15 0.86 86 42 207 BDL_unnamed_337 arabidopsis|6|AT2G22620 E 16 0.79 87 43 208 BDL_unnamed_339 arabidopsis|6|AT3G26480 A 11 0.84 88 43 208 BDL_unnamed_339 arabidopsis|6|AT3G26480 A 14 0.73 89 43 208 BDL_unnamed_339 arabidopsis|6|AT3G26480 C 11 0.76 90 43 208 BDL_unnamed_339 arabidopsis|6|AT3G26480 C 14 0.88 91 44 209 BDL_unnamed_340 arabidopsis|6|AT1G64660 A 1 0.83 92 44 209 BDL_unnamed_340 arabidopsis|6|AT1G64660 A 2 0.7 93 46 211 BDL_unnamed_341 arabidopsis|6|AT5G52330 E 17 0.85 94 49 214 BDL_unnamed_343 arabidopsis|6|AT5G64080 C 12 0.74 95 49 214 BDL_unnamed_343 arabidopsis|6|AT5G64080 C 16 0.77 96 50 215 BDL_unnamed_344 arabidopsis|6|AT2G43060 B 11 0.89 97 50 215 BDL_unnamed_344 arabidopsis|6|AT2G43060 B 12 −0.73 98 50 215 BDL_unnamed_344 arabidopsis|6|AT2G43060 B 18 −0.81 99 50 215 BDL_unnamed_344 arabidopsis|6|AT2G43060 E 15 0.8 100 52 217 BDL_unnamed_346 arabidopsis|6|AT2G41340 A 13 −0.72 101 52 217 BDL_unnamed_346 arabidopsis|6|AT2G41340 B 5 0.72 102 52 217 BDL_unnamed_346 arabidopsis|6|AT2G41340 B 8 0.81 103 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 arabidopsis|6|AT5G03450 A 3 0.76 104 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 arabidopsis|6|AT5G03450 A 5 0.74 105 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 arabidopsis|6|AT5G03450 A 15 0.74 106 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 arabidopsis|6|AT5G03450 D 15 0.78 107 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 arabidopsis|6|AT5G03450 D 16 0.82 108 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33670 A 5 0.74 109 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33670 A 15 0.78 110 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33670 A 16 0.73 111 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33670 B 5 0.86 112 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 A 13 −0.72 113 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 C 15 0.85 114 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 C 16 0.83 115 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 E 11 −0.72 116 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 E 12 0.73 117 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 arabidopsis|6|AT5G04500 E 17 0.74 118 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 arabidopsis|6|AT1G27120 B 7 0.78 119 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 arabidopsis|6|AT1G27120 B 13 0.74 120 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 arabidopsis|6|AT1G27120 C 15 0.79 121 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 arabidopsis|6|AT1G27120 C 16 0.82 122 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 arabidopsis|6|AT1G27120 D 17 0.74 123 58 223 BDL_unnamed_352 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01820 B 4 −0.71 124 58 223 BDL_unnamed_352 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01820 B 8 −0.7 125 58 223 BDL_unnamed_352 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01820 C 15 −0.74 126 58 223 BDL_unnamed_352 arabidopsis|6|AT5G01820 E 16 0.71 127 60 225 BDL_unnamed_354 arabidopsis|6|AT3G16490 C 16 0.73 128 61 226 BDL_unnamed_355 arabidopsis|6|AT5G23050 D 12 0.72 129 62 227 BDL_unnamed_356 arabidopsis|6|AT4G16050 E 11 0.95 130 62 227 BDL_unnamed_356 arabidopsis|6|AT4G16050 E 14 0.77 131 63 228 BDL_unnamed_357 arabidopsis|6|AT1G44760 B 15 0.73 132 63 228 BDL_unnamed_357 arabidopsis|6|AT1G44760 B 16 0.7 133 64 229 BDL_unnamed_358 arabidopsis|6|AT3G01570 C 16 0.71 134 66 231 BDL_unnamed_362 arabidopsis|6|AT2G25940 B 15 0.83 135 66 231 BDL_unnamed_362 arabidopsis|6|AT2G25940 B 16 0.84 136 67 232 BDL_unnamed_364 arabidopsis|6|AT1G04660 D 12 0.88 137 67 232 BDL_unnamed_364 arabidopsis|6|AT1G04660 D 15 0.84 138 67 232 BDL_unnamed_364 arabidopsis|6|AT1G04660 D 16 0.91 139 68 233 BDL_unnamed_365 arabidopsis|6|AT1G05160 C 16 0.71 140 68 233 BDL_unnamed_365 arabidopsis|6|AT1G05160 D 15 0.72 141 68 233 BDL_unnamed_365 arabidopsis|6|AT1G05160 D 16 0.72 142 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 arabidopsis|6|AT1G19900 B 6 0.8 143 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 arabidopsis|6|AT1G19900 C 12 −0.86 144 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 arabidopsis|6|AT1G19900 C 14 0.73 145 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 arabidopsis|6|AT1G19900 E 15 0.71 146 71 236 BDL_unnamed_368 arabidopsis|6|AT1G23200 D 13 −0.78 147 71 236 BDL_unnamed_368 arabidopsis|6|AT1G23200 E 17 −0.73 148 72 237 BDL_unnamed_369 arabidopsis|6|AT1G26680 A 1 0.84 149 72 237 BDL_unnamed_369 arabidopsis|6|AT1G26680 A 2 0.75 150 73 238 BDL_unnamed_370 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28590 E 11 0.9 151 73 238 BDL_unnamed_370 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28590 E 12 −0.72 152 74 239 BDL_unnamed_371 arabidopsis|6|AT1G48910 B 12 0.72 153 74 239 BDL_unnamed_371 arabidopsis|6|AT1G48910 B 15 0.79 154 74 239 BDL_unnamed_371 arabidopsis|6|AT1G48910 B 16 0.86 155 74 239 BDL_unnamed_371 arabidopsis|6|AT1G48910 C 17 0.79 156 79 244 BDL_unnamed_374 arabidopsis|6|AT1G62610 D 15 −0.74 157 80 245 BDL_unnamed_375 arabidopsis|6|AT1G76290 B 16 0.72 158 80 245 BDL_unnamed_375 arabidopsis|6|AT1G76290 C 17 0.77 159 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 B 4 0.76 160 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 B 5 0.77 161 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 B 8 0.96 162 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 B 10 0.89 163 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 C 15 0.83 164 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 C 16 0.74 165 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 D 13 −0.81 166 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 arabidopsis|6|AT1G68470 D 14 −0.82 167 82 247 BDL_unnamed_377 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71250 E 11 0.72 168 82 247 BDL_unnamed_377 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71250 E 14 0.8 169 82 247 BDL_unnamed_377 arabidopsis|6|AT1G71250 E 17 −0.7 170 83 248 BDL_unnamed_379 arabidopsis|6|AT3G58200 B 6 0.75 171 84 249 BDL_unnamed_380 arabidopsis|6|AT1G78500 A 1 −0.74 172 84 249 BDL_unnamed_380 arabidopsis|6|AT1G78500 B 7 0.75 173 84 249 BDL_unnamed_380 arabidopsis|6|AT1G78500 B 18 0.84 174 85 250 BDL_unnamed_381 arabidopsis|6|AT2G14690 E 15 −0.72 175 88 253 BDL_unnamed_384 arabidopsis|6|AT2G23510 B 12 0.74 176 88 253 BDL_unnamed_384 arabidopsis|6|AT2G23510 B 15 0.71 177 88 253 BDL_unnamed_384 arabidopsis|6|AT2G23510 B 16 0.8 178 89 254 BDL_unnamed_385 arabidopsis|6|AT2G26070 B 15 0.91 179 89 254 BDL_unnamed_385 arabidopsis|6|AT2G26070 B 16 0.88 180 90 255 BDL_unnamed_386 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28650 D 13 −0.93 181 90 255 BDL_unnamed_386 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28650 D 14 −0.87 182 90 255 BDL_unnamed_386 arabidopsis|6|AT2G28650 E 15 0.7 183 91 256 BDL_unnamed_388 arabidopsis|6|AT2G41290 E 11 0.78 184 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 arabidopsis|6|AT2G47750 B 8 0.79 185 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 arabidopsis|6|AT2G47750 D 14 0.84 186 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 arabidopsis|6|AT2G47750 E 14 0.71 187 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 arabidopsis|6|AT2G47750 E 17 −0.79 188 94 259 BDL_unnamed_391 arabidopsis|6|AT3G03230 D 15 0.96 189 94 259 BDL_unnamed_391 arabidopsis|6|AT3G03230 D 16 0.95 190 94 259 BDL_unnamed_391 arabidopsis|6|AT3G03230 E 14 −0.73 191 95 260 BDL_unnamed_392 arabidopsis|6|AT3G04200 B 7 0.85 192 95 260 BDL_unnamed_392 arabidopsis|6|AT3G04200 B 9 −0.94 193 95 260 BDL_unnamed_392 arabidopsis|6|AT3G04200 B 13 0.78 194 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 B 4 −0.78 195 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 B 9 −0.77 196 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 B 10 −0.73 197 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 B 17 0.88 198 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 C 12 0.71 199 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 C 15 0.75 200 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 C 16 0.82 201 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 arabidopsis|6|AT3G49380 E 11 0.82 202 104 269 BDL_unnamed_400 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33600 B 12 0.8 203 104 269 BDL_unnamed_400 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33600 E 11 0.84 204 104 269 BDL_unnamed_400 arabidopsis|6|AT4G33600 E 14 0.8 205 106 271 BDL_unnamed_402 arabidopsis|6|AT5G08460 D 15 0.77 206 106 271 BDL_unnamed_402 arabidopsis|6|AT5G08460 D 16 0.78 207 107 272 BDL_unnamed_403 arabidopsis|6|AT2G34700 C 11 0.89 208 107 272 BDL_unnamed_403 arabidopsis|6|AT2G34700 C 12 −0.71 209 108 273 BDL_unnamed_404 arabidopsis|6|AT5G15740 B 5 0.74 210 108 273 BDL_unnamed_404 arabidopsis|6|AT5G15740 B 8 0.71 211 108 273 BDL_unnamed_404 arabidopsis|6|AT5G15740 E 15 0.8 212 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 arabidopsis|6|AT5G16230 A 1 −0.75 213 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 arabidopsis|6|AT5G16230 B 8 0.83 214 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 arabidopsis|6|AT5G16230 C 12 −0.8 215 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 arabidopsis|6|AT5G16230 D 12 0.73 216 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 arabidopsis|6|AT5G16230 D 16 0.74 217 110 275 BDL_unnamed_406 arabidopsis|6|AT5G18290 E 11 −0.76 218 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 B 12 0.79 219 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 B 13 0.76 220 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 B 16 0.79 221 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 C 14 0.79 222 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 D 14 0.79 223 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39130 E 12 0.73 224 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 B 12 0.79 225 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 B 13 0.76 226 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 B 16 0.79 227 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 C 14 0.79 228 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 D 14 0.79 229 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39160 E 12 0.73 230 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 B 12 0.79 231 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 B 13 0.76 232 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 B 16 0.79 233 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 C 14 0.79 234 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 D 14 0.79 235 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 arabidopsis|6|AT5G39190 E 12 0.73 236 116 281 BDL_unnamed_411 arabidopsis|6|AT5G44360 B 10 −0.74 237 117 282 BDL_unnamed_412 arabidopsis|6|AT5G47670 E 11 0.86 238 117 282 BDL_unnamed_412 arabidopsis|6|AT5G47670 E 14 0.72 239 119 284 BDL_unnamed_414 arabidopsis|6|AT5G56300 C 15 0.77 240 119 284 BDL_unnamed_414 arabidopsis|6|AT5G56300 C 16 0.78 241 119 284 BDL_unnamed_414 arabidopsis|6|AT5G56300 D 15 0.78 242 119 284 BDL_unnamed_414 arabidopsis|6|AT5G56300 D 16 0.82 243 121 286 BDL_unnamed_418 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28640 B 18 0.81 244 122 287 BDL_unnamed_419 arabidopsis|6|AT1G22990 E 11 0.95 245 122 287 BDL_unnamed_419 arabidopsis|6|AT1G22990 E 14 0.8 246 123 288 BDL_unnamed_420 arabidopsis|6|AT1G64110 B 6 0.78 247 125 290 BDL_unnamed_421 arabidopsis|6|AT1G04380 D 15 0.73 248 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 arabidopsis|6|AT1G08810 B 8 0.8 249 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 arabidopsis|6|AT1G08810 D 14 −0.79 250 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 arabidopsis|6|AT1G08810 D 15 −0.82 251 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 arabidopsis|6|AT1G08810 D 16 −0.82 252 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28170 B 16 −0.71 253 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28170 C 11 0.78 254 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28170 C 12 −0.79 255 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 arabidopsis|6|AT1G28170 C 14 0.75 256 130 295 BDL_unnamed_425 arabidopsis|6|AT3G10590 E 13 0.72 257 131 296 BDL_unnamed_426 arabidopsis|6|AT3G58740 E 14 0.75 258 131 296 BDL_unnamed_426 arabidopsis|6|AT3G58740 E 17 −0.72 259 132 297 BDL_unnamed_427 arabidopsis|6|AT4G02360 A 1 0.85 260 132 297 BDL_unnamed_427 arabidopsis|6|AT4G02360 A 2 0.76 261 134 299 BDL_unnamed_429 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07200 C 13 −0.76 262 134 299 BDL_unnamed_429 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07200 D 15 0.73 263 134 299 BDL_unnamed_429 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07200 D 16 0.73 264 135 300 BDL_unnamed_430 arabidopsis|6|AT5G22810 D 12 0.86 265 135 300 BDL_unnamed_430 arabidopsis|6|AT5G22810 D 15 0.71 266 135 300 BDL_unnamed_430 arabidopsis|6|AT5G22810 D 16 0.8 267 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 arabidopsis|6|AT5G43860 A 11 0.75 268 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 arabidopsis|6|AT5G43860 A 13 −0.77 269 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 arabidopsis|6|AT5G43860 C 11 0.72 270 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 arabidopsis|6|AT5G43860 C 17 −0.7 271 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 arabidopsis|6|AT5G43860 D 14 0.71 272 137 302 BDL_unnamed_432 arabidopsis|6|AT5G57390 C 15 0.72 273 137 302 BDL_unnamed_432 arabidopsis|6|AT5G57390 C 16 0.76 274 137 302 BDL_unnamed_432 arabidopsis|6|AT5G57390 D 17 0.71 275 138 303 BDL_unnamed_433 arabidopsis|6|AT5G62800 D 11 0.76 276 138 303 BDL_unnamed_433 arabidopsis|6|AT5G62800 E 17 −0.73 277 139 304 BDL_unnamed_435 arabidopsis|6|AT5G52500 B 5 −0.75 278 139 304 BDL_unnamed_435 arabidopsis|6|AT5G52500 B 8 −0.73 279 140 305 BDL_unnamed_436 arabidopsis|6|AT5G24600 A 3 −0.78 280 143 308 BDL_unnamed_438 arabidopsis|6|AT1G72040 D 13 0.71 281 145 310 BDL_unnamed_440 arabidopsis|6|AT1G50510 B 8 0.75 282 146 311 BDL_unnamed_441 arabidopsis|6|AT5G48100 E 17 −0.77 283 147 312 BDL_unnamed_442 arabidopsis|6|AT1G14760 B 6 0.83 284 147 312 BDL_unnamed_442 arabidopsis|6|AT1G14760 B 7 −0.76 285 147 312 BDL_unnamed_442 arabidopsis|6|AT1G14760 B 9 0.75 286 148 313 BDL_unnamed_443 arabidopsis|6|AT1G15150 B 11 0.9 287 148 313 BDL_unnamed_443 arabidopsis|6|AT1G15150 E 11 0.76 288 149 314 BDL_unnamed_444 arabidopsis|6|AT1G20500 D 13 −0.78 289 150 315 BDL_unnamed_445 arabidopsis|6|AT1G56170 B 6 0.73 290 150 315 BDL_unnamed_445 arabidopsis|6|AT1G56170 D 15 0.94 291 150 315 BDL_unnamed_445 arabidopsis|6|AT1G56170 D 16 0.93 292 151 316 BDL_unnamed_446 arabidopsis|6|AT1G62070 A 1 0.77 293 151 316 BDL_unnamed_446 arabidopsis|6|AT1G62070 A 2 0.77 294 153 318 BDL_unnamed_448 arabidopsis|6|AT3G21090 C 13 0.9 295 154 319 BDL_unnamed_449 arabidopsis|6|AT3G24250 B 6 0.8 296 154 319 BDL_unnamed_449 arabidopsis|6|AT3G24250 C 11 0.73 297 155 320 BDL_unnamed_450 arabidopsis|6|AT3G50990 D 13 −0.85 298 157 322 BDL_unnamed_452 arabidopsis|6|AT4G10150 B 17 −0.75 299 159 324 BDL_unnamed_454 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07190 B 17 0.77 300 159 324 BDL_unnamed_454 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07190 B 18 0.82 301 159 324 BDL_unnamed_454 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07190 D 15 −0.92 302 159 324 BDL_unnamed_454 arabidopsis|6|AT5G07190 D 16 −0.91 303 160 325 BDL_unnamed_455 arabidopsis|6|AT5G10220 A 10 −0.72 304 160 325 BDL_unnamed_455 arabidopsis|6|AT5G10220 E 16 −0.72 305 161 326 BDL_unnamed_456 arabidopsis|6|AT5G20940 D 15 0.76 306 161 326 BDL_unnamed_456 arabidopsis|6|AT5G20940 D 16 0.7 307 162 327 BDL_unnamed_457 arabidopsis|6|AT5G51210 C 17 0.81 308 163 328 BDL_unnamed_458 arabidopsis|6|AT5G55620 A 13 −0.76 309 163 328 BDL_unnamed_458 arabidopsis|6|AT5G55620 E 11 −0.81 310 163 328 BDL_unnamed_458 arabidopsis|6|AT5G55620 E 14 −0.71 311 164 329 BDL_unnamed_459 arabidopsis|6|AT5G60460 C 14 0.84 312 164 329 BDL_unnamed_459 arabidopsis|6|AT5G60460 E 17 −0.72 313 165 330 BDL_unnamed_460 arabidopsis|6|AT5G65590 D 16 0.72 Correlation vector (correl. Vector).

The following Tables 8-15 present polynucleotides which are predicted based on the microarray correlation analysis to increase in a plant the seed yield (Table 8), oil yield (Table 9), growth rate (Table 10), organ shape/size/length (Table 11), harvest index (Table 12), oil content per seed (Table 13), plant dry matter (Table 14) and seed number per silique (Table 15). It should be noted that additional polynucleotides described in the instant application can be used to change the above characteristics in plants.

TABLE 8 Table 8. Polynucleotides which impact seed yield SEQ ID NO: of the polypeptide Polynucleotide encoded by the SEQ ID NO: polynucleotide Gene Name 1 3 168 BDL2 2 8 173 BDL8 3 9 174 BDL9 4 14 179 BDL15 5 16 181 BDL17 6 26 191 BDL26a 7 27 192 BDL26b 8 29 194 BDL28 9 30 195 BDL29 10 39 204 BDL_unnamed_334 11 42 207 BDL_unnamed_337 12 50 215 BDL_unnamed_344 13 53 218 BDL_unnamed_347 14 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 15 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 16 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 17 63 228 BDL_unnamed_357 18 66 231 BDL_unnamed_362 19 68 233 BDL_unnamed_365 20 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 21 74 239 BDL_unnamed_371 22 79 244 BDL_unnamed_374 23 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 24 88 253 BDL_unnamed_384 25 89 254 BDL_unnamed_385 26 94 259 BDL_unnamed_391 27 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 28 106 271 BDL_unnamed_402 29 108 273 BDL_unnamed_404 30 119 284 BDL_unnamed_414 31 125 290 BDL_unnamed_421 32 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 33 134 299 BDL_unnamed_429 34 137 302 BDL_unnamed_432 35 150 315 BDL_unnamed_445 36 159 324 BDL_unnamed_454 37 161 326 BDL_unnamed_456

TABLE 9 Table 9 Polynucleotides which impact oil yield SEQ ID NO: of the polypeptide Polynucleotide SEQ encoded by the ID NO: polynucleotide Gene Name 1 18 183 BDL19 2 25 190 BDL25 3 49 214 BDL_unnamed_343 4 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 5 60 225 BDL_unnamed_354 6 64 229 BDL_unnamed_358 7 67 232 BDL_unnamed_364 8 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 9 135 300 BDL_unnamed_430 10 160 325 BDL_unnamed_455 11 165 330 BDL_unnamed_460

TABLE 10 Table 10 Polynucleotides which impact growth rate SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO: the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 2 70 235 BDL_unnamed_367 3 83 248 BDL_unnamed_379 4 123 288 BDL_unnamed_420 5 140 305 BDL_unnamed_436 6 147 312 BDL_unnamed_442 7 150 315 BDL_unnamed_445 8 154 319 BDL_unnamed_449

TABLE 11 Table 11. Polynucleotides which impact organ shape/size/length SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO: the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 10 175 BDL10 2 13 178 BDL14 3 19 184 BDL20a 4 20 185 BDL20b 5 21 186 BDL21 6 22 187 BDL22 7 28 193 BDL27 8 38 203 BDL_unnamed_333 9 40 205 BDL_unnamed_335 10 40 205 BDL_unnamed_335 11 43 208 BDL_unnamed_339 12 44 209 BDL_unnamed_340 13 62 227 BDL_unnamed_356 14 72 237 BDL_unnamed_369 15 73 238 BDL_unnamed_370 16 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 17 82 247 BDL_unnamed_377 18 84 249 BDL_unnamed_380 19 91 256 BDL_unnamed_388 20 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 21 95 260 BDL_unnamed_392 22 104 269 BDL_unnamed_400 23 109 274 BDL_unnamed_405 24 110 275 BDL_unnamed_406 25 116 281 BDL_unnamed_411 26 117 282 BDL_unnamed_412 27 121 286 BDL_unnamed_418 28 122 287 BDL_unnamed_419 29 126 291 BDL_unnamed_422 30 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 31 132 297 BDL_unnamed_427 32 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 33 138 303 BDL_unnamed_433 34 145 310 BDL_unnamed_440 35 148 313 BDL_unnamed_443 36 151 316 BDL_unnamed_446 37 154 319 BDL_unnamed_449 38 163 328 BDL_unnamed_458 Organ shape/size/length include for example, leaf length, leaf width, leaf circularity, seed size, or root length.

TABLE 12 Table 12 Polynucleotides which impact harvest index SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded SEQ ID NO: by the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 7 172 BDL7 2 18 183 BDL19 3 36 201 BDL_unnamed_330 4 46 211 BDL_unnamed_341 5 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 6 80 245 BDL_unnamed_375 7 93 258 BDL_unnamed_390 8 98 263 BDL_unnamed_395 9 131 296 BDL_unnamed_426 10 136 301 BDL_unnamed_431 11 138 303 BDL_unnamed_433 12 146 311 BDL_unnamed_441 13 157 322 BDL_unnamed_452 14 162 327 BDL_unnamed_457 15 164 329 BDL_unnamed_459

TABLE 13 Table 13 Polynucleotides which impact oil content per seed SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO: the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 6 171 BDL6 2 23 188 BDL23 3 56 221 BDL_unnamed_350 4 61 226 BDL_unnamed_355 5 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 6 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 7 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 8 128 293 BDL_unnamed_423 9 135 300 BDL_unnamed_430

TABLE 14 Table 14 Polynucleotides which impact plant dry matter SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO: the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 37 202 BDL_unnamed_331 2 52 217 BDL_unnamed_346 3 55 220 BDL_unnamed_349 4 139 304 BDL_unnamed_435

TABLE 15 Table 15 Polynucleotides which impact seed number per silique SEQ ID NO: of the Polynucleotide polypeptide encoded by SEQ ID NO: the polynucleotide Gene Name 1 57 222 BDL_unnamed_351 2 71 236 BDL_unnamed_368 3 81 246 BDL_unnamed_376 4 90 255 BDL_unnamed_386 5 112 277 BDL_unnamed_408 6 114 279 BDL_unnamed_409 7 115 280 BDL_unnamed_410 8 131 296 BDL_unnamed_426 9 143 308 BDL_unnamed_438 10 149 314 BDL_unnamed_444 11 153 318 BDL_unnamed_448 12 155 320 BDL_unnamed_450

Example 3 Gene Cloning and Creation of Binary Vectors for Plant Expression

Cloning Strategy

Selected genes from those listed in Examples 1 and 2 above were cloned into binary vectors for the generation of transgenic plants. For cloning, the full-length open reading frame (ORF) was first identified. In case of ORF-EST clusters and in some cases mRNA sequences were analyzed to identify the entire open reading frame by comparing the results of several translation algorithms to known proteins from other plant species. To clone the full-length cDNAs, Reverse Transcription followed by PCR(RT-PCR) was performed on total RNA extracted from Arabidopsis siliques collected 3 and 13 days after flowering (3 and 13 DAF). RNA was extracted using Hot Borate RNA Extraction protocol according to World Wide Web (dot) www (dot) eeob (dot) iastate (dot) edu/faculty/Wendel.Fultramicrorna (dot) html. Production of cDNA (using random hexamer and poly dT primers) and PCR amplification was performed using standard protocols described elsewhere (Sambrook J., E. F. Fritsch, and T. Maniatis. 1989. Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual., 2nd Ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York.) and are routine for those skilled in the art.

To clone the full-length genomic region of a gene, genomic DNA was extracted from wild type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana leaves (DNeasy plant mini kit, Qiagen, Germany). All genes were amplified by nested PCR. PCR products were purified using Mini Elute PCR purification kit (Qiagen) and sequencing of the amplified PCR products is performed, using ABI 377 sequencer (Applied Biosystems). To facilitate cloning of the cDNAs/genomic sequences, a 8-12 by extension was added to the 5′ prime end of each primer. The primer extension includes an endonuclease restriction site. The restriction sites are selected using two parameters: (a). The site does not exist in the cDNA sequence; and (b). The restriction sites in the forward and reverse primers are designed so the digested cDNA is inserted in the sense formation into the binary vector utilized for transformation.

PCR products were purified (Mini Elute PCR Purification Kit, Qiagen, Germany) and digested with the restriction sites according to the primers used (Roche, Switzerland). The digested PCR products were first subcloned into a high copy vector [(originated from the pBlue-script KS plasmid vector http://www.stratagene.com/manuals/212205.pdf)] with the 35S promoter (SEQ ID NO:921), and the NOS terminator (SEQ ID NO:922) originated from pBI 101.3 binary vector (GenBank Accession No. U12640, by 4417 to 4693)), followed by cloning the entire cassette into the binary vectors pGI or pMBArt (according to Table 16, hereinbelow). The digested PCR products and the linearized plasmid vector were ligated using T4 DNA ligase enzyme (Roche, Switzerland). The following polynucleotides were cloned from RNA extracted from the tissues described above or genomic DNA using the primers as provided in Table 17, below.

TABLE 16 Table 16: Genes cloned into different binary vectors Bioinf. Bioinf. Cloned identified identified polynucleotide Polynucleotide Polypeptide TAIR gene Internal SEQ Cloned In Cloned In SEQ ID NO: SEQ ID NO: name name ID NO: pGI pMBart 1 1 166 AT5G50770 BDL3 1017 V 2 4 169 AT2G45420 BDL4 1041 V 3 5 170 AT3G14360 BDL5 1018 V 4 6 171 AT4G10490 BDL6 1019 V 5 7 172 AT5G51490 BDL7 1020 V 6 8 173 AT3G03240 BDL8 1021 V 7 9 174 AT5G24130 BDL9 1022 V 8 3 168 AT1G34580 BDL2 1016 V 9 11 176 AT5G12460 BDL11 1042 V 10 12 177 AT4G08530 BDL12 1023 V 11 2 167 AT1G65090 BDL1 1040 V 12 13 178 AT1G53690 BDL14 1024 V 13 14 179 AT1G68510 BDL15 1025 V 14 15 180 AT5G03800 BDL16 1026 V 15 16 181 AT5G36770 BDL17 1043 V 16 17 182 AT5G40420 BDL18 1027 V 17 19 184 AT1G47540.1 BDL20a 1029 V 18 20 185 AT1G47540.2 BDL20b 1044 V 19 21 186 AT3G62730 BDL21 1030 V 20 23 188 AT3G27785 BDL23 1031 V 21 24 189 AT5G15000 BDL24 1045 V 22 25 190 AT3G20910 BDL25 1032 V 23 26 191 AT1G11170.1 BDL26a 1033 V 24 27 192 AT1G11170.2 BDL26b 1034 V 25 28 193 AT1G68380 BDL27 1035 V 26 29 194 AT1G09380 BDL28 1036 V 27 30 195 AT1G60970 BDL29 1037 V 28 31 196 AT1G72580 BDL30 1046 V 29 33 198 AT2G46960.1 BDL32a 1038 V 30 34 199 AT2G46960.2 BDL32b 1039 V 31 933 183 AT2G02080.1 BDL19gD 1028 V NA 32 — AY254038 WRINKLED1 WRI 1050 V Provided are the sequence identifiers of the polynucleotides and polypeptides identified bioinformatically (bioinf.), as well as the sequence identifiers of the cloned polynucleotides. In two cases, the translated polypeptide sequences of the cloned genes were different from the predicted bioinformatically identified polypeptides (SEQ ID NOs: 176 and 178) and new sequence identifiers were provided (i.e., SEQ ID NO: 1047 for the translated polypeptide of cloned gene SEQ ID NO: 1042 and SEQ ID NO: 1048 for the translated polypeptide of cloned gene SEQ ID NO: 1024).

TABLE 17 Table 17 Polynucleotides cloned from cDNA libraries, genomic DNA or synthetically produced and the primers used for the cloning Restriction Enzymes Gene used for SEQ ID Name cloning Primers used for amplification (5′→3′) NO: BDL3 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL3_ORF_NF_SalI- 923 AATGTCGACGATGCATGGATTCAATCAACA Fwd External: BDL3_ORF_EF_SalI- 924 TTTGTCGACCATTGTGAAGTATAGTCCTTGATG Rev Nested: BDL3_ORF_NR_XbaI- 925 TATCTAGAACATAAACGGGGAGACTCAAG Rev External: BDL3_ORF_ER_XbaI- 926 AATCTAGACTATGGTAACCCGAAGTTGTATAC BDL4 SacI, XbaI synthetic product 1041 BDL5 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL5_ORF_NF_Sal- 927 ACTGTCGACAGACATGCACAAAGACAACG Fwd External: BDL5_ORF_EF_SalI- 928 ATAGTCGACCAAAACCCAGAGACATGCAC Rev Nested: BDL5_ORF_NR_XbaI- 929 AATCTAGACACTTTTCAAAGAGAGGACATCT Rev External: BDL5_ORF_ER_XbaI- 930 ACTCTAGACCGGTTCACTTAAGATTTATTC BDL6 SalI, XbaI Fwd: BDL6_ORF_F1_SalI- 931 AAAGTCGACCAATCATGGCAGCATCAAAAC Rev Nested: BDL6_ORF_NR_XbaI- 932 AGTCTAGACGGATGATTGATTCGATAGTACAC Phaseolus vulgaris Rev External: BDL6_ORF_ER_SacI- 933 TGAGCTCCCAATCAAGAACTAAGGACCG BDL7 SalI, XbaI Fwd: BDL7_ORF_F1_Sal- 934 AATGTCGACAACAATGAATATGATGATGCAAAAACTC Rev Nested: BDL7_ORF_NR_XbaI- 935 AATCTAGACGGTCTTTAGAGTCCAGAAGTG Rev External: BDL7_ORF_ER_XbaI- 936 AATCTAGAATCATTGCAACTTAAACACGA BDL8 XbaI, SalI Fwd: BDL8_gDNA_F_Sal- 937 AATGTCGACCCTCTGTCTTGTCTTTTGGTTAGTA Rev: BDL8_gDNA_R_Xb- 938 AATCTAGACCTTCAACTACAAGCGGCTT BDL9 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL9_ORF_NF_SalI- 939 acggtcgacCTTACAATAAAATGGTGAAACTCG Fwd External: BDL9_ORF_EF_SalI- 940 aatgtcgacCTCTCTAAACGCATAATCTTACA Rev Nested: BDL9_ORF_NR_XbaI- 941 AATCTAGACAAAATATGTGGTCTCCGCAG Rev External: BDL9_ORF_ER_XbaI- 942 AGTCTAGACAAAAAGGAAACGAATCACA BDL2 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL2_ORF_NF_SalI- 943 CAAGTCGACCGTAAGACATAAGCAAAATGGC Fwd External BDL2_ORF_EF_SalI- 944 TTAGTCGACCACTTCATGCGTAAGACATAAGC Rev Nested: BDL2_ORF_NR_XbaI- 945 GCTCTAGAGCATCTTTTAAGTTGACGTCG Rev External: BDL2_ORF_ER_XbaI- 946 AATCTAGATCCATTGAAAATGCGAACC BDL11 SacI, XbaI synthetic product BDL12 SalI, SacI Fwd Nested: BDL12_gDNA_NF_SalI- 947 AATGTCGACGTTCTATCCCCAACTCTAAATG Fwd External: BDL12_gDNA_EF_XbaI- 948 ATTCTAGATTGTTGTTTGTATCACTTTATTGG Rev Nested: BDL12_gDNA_NR_SacI- 949 AGAGCTCCTTAAAGTTCTATCGAGATAGTGC Rev External: BDL12_gDNA_ER_SacI- 950 AGAGCTCTCAATGAAATTTTACATAACCATC BDL1 XbaI, SacI synthetic product BDL14 SalI, XbaI Fwd: BDL14_ORF_F1_SalI- 951 AATGTCGACAACAATGGATCTACAACAGTCCGAAAC Rev Nested: BDL14_ORF_NR_XbaI- 952 AATCTAGACACTCAGACAGCTGGGTATTAAAC Rev External: BDL14_ORF_ER_SacI- 953 AGAGCTCGTTGTGGCACTCAGACAGCTG BDL15 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL15_ORF_NF_Sal- 954 TTCGTCGACAAAGGAATATGAGAATCAGCTG Fwd External: BDL15_ORF_EF_Sal- 955 AACGTCGACCAAACACACATCATACGTATATTTG Rev Nested: BDL15_ORF_NR_XbaI- 956 ATTCTAGAGAGTTTATGATAACCTAATGATTGAC Rev External: BDL15_ORF_ER_XbaI- 957 GTTCTAGACAGAGTGAGTTTATGATAACCTAATG BDL16 SalI, XbaI Fwd: BDL16_ORF_F1_SalI- 958 AATGTCGACAACAATGTCCACCGTTAATCATCAC Rev Nested: BDL16_ORF_NR_XbaI- 959 AATCTAGACAGAACCAAAACTCTCGTATTAAC Rev External: BDL16_ORF_ER_XbaI- 960 AATCTAGAGAAACTTTGAATGGACTATGTAGC BDL17 SacI, XbaI synthetic product 1043 BDL18 XbaI, SacI Fwd Nested: BDL18_ORF_NF_XbaI- 961 AATCTAGATACAATGGCGGATACACACC Fwd External: BDL18_ORF_EF_XbaI- 962 ATTCTAGAGCTTACAATGGCGGATACACA Rev Nested: BDL18_ORF_NR_SacI- 963 AGAGCTCGTGAAAACACATATCTACCGTTC Rev External: BDL18_ORF_ER_SacI- 964 AGAGCTCCTTGCGATCTTTCATGCTTAC BDL19 SacI Fwd Nested: BDL19_gDNA_NF_SacI- 965 AGAGCTCAGAGAGAGATAGGGCTTTGAGG Fwd External: BDL19_g_DNA_EF_SacI- 966 AGAGCTCGAAGAAGAACACAAAACAGTAGAG Rev: BDL19_gDNA_R1_SacI- 967 AGAGCTCGTGATTATGAAAACAACAAGCG BDL20a SalI, XbaI Fwd: BDL20a_ORF_F1_SalI- 968 AAAGTCGACAGAGACAAAGAAGTTGGCCA Rev Nested: BDL20a_ORF_NR_XbaI- 969 TTTCTAGATGCAAGATTCAAATACGACTTAG Rev External: BDL20a_ORF_ER_SacI- 970 AGAGCTCGGACCATTTACCTTGATTTGTTAC BDL20b SmaI + SacI synthetic product 1044 BDL21 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL21-ORF-NF-Sal- 971 AATGTCGACAAGCATGTTTAAACTCTGTCTCG Fwd External: BDL21-ORF-EF-Sal- 972 TTAGTCGACGAAAGGAAAAGCATGTTTAAAC Rev Nested: BDL21-ORF-NR-XbaI- 973 CCGTCTAGAGGAAACTTTTAATTGTCATGTGA Rev External: BDL21-ORF-ER-XbaI- 974 GGCTCTAGATTTTCTAGTGAATTGTATCAATGG BDL23 XbaI, SacI Fwd Nested: BDL23_ORF_NF_XbaI- 975 AATCTAGACATCATAATCATATGGAGTTCGA Fwd External: BDL23_ORF_EF_XbaI- 976 AATCTAGAGATCTAGGGTTTCATGCTTCAC Rev: BDL23_ORF_R1_SacI- 977 AGAGCTCGTTCGACTTGTTTATATTGCACG BDL24 SmaI, SacI synthetic product 1045 BDL25 XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL25_ORF_NF_XbaI- 978 ATTCTAGACTCCGAGACTGTCTCCGATTG Fwd External: BDL25_ORF_EF_XbaI- 979 ATTCTAGACAATCACCGTGGACACCTC Rev: BDL25_ORF_R_XbaI- 980 ATTCTAGAGTGGCAACATCTGAAGTATTCC BDL26a SacI Fwd Nested: BDL26a_ORF_NF_SacI- 981 AGAGCTCTCATTACAGTGACTCTGCATGC Fwd External: BDL26a_ORF_EF_SacI- 982 AGAGCTCTCTTGTCTACTTTCATTACAGTGAC Rev Nested: BDL26a + b_ORF_NR_SacI- 983 TAGAGCTCGAAAGTACATAATGGACATGAGC Rev External: BDL26a + b_ORF_ER_SacI- 984 TAGAGCTCGATTTTTAAAGTAGTTATAGTGATGAA BDL26b SacI Fwd Nested: BDL26b_ORF_NF_SacI- 985 AGAGCTCGTAATATTACCATAAGGTTCAGAAG Fwd External: BDL26b_ORF_EF_SacI- 986 AGAGCTCCATAATTTTTTCGTATTTAACTCTT Rev Nested: BDL26a + b_ORF_NR_SacI- 987 TAGAGCTCGAAAGTACATAATGGACATGAGC Rev external: BDL26a + b_ORF_ER_SacI- 988 TAGAGCTCGATTTTTAAAGTAGTTATAGTGATGAA BDL27 XbaI, SacI Fwd Nested: BDL27_ORF_NF_XbaI- 989 AATCTAGACTCTTACACATGTATCGGTAGTTG Fwd External: BDL27_ORF_EF_XbaI- 990 AATCTAGACTTAAAACATTGGAAACAAGAATTC Rev Nested: BDL27_ORF_NR_SacI- 991 AGAGCTCGATCAGAAATACATGACGATAGATG Rev External: BDL27_ORF_ER_SacI- 992 AGAGCTCGCATCTTTGTTTTTGGACGA BDL28 SalI, xbaI Fwd Nested: BDL28_ORF_NF_SalI- 993 AAAGTCGACGAGAGATGGCTAAATCAGATATG Fwd External: BDL28_ORF_EF_SalI- 994 AATGTCGACGAGAGTGAGAGATGGCTAAATCAG Rev Nested: BDL28_ORF_NR_XbaI- 995 ATTCTAGAAGAAGCAATCACCATTTTAAGG Rev External: BDL28_ORF_ER_XbaI- 996 ATTCTAGACCGAAAATCCAATTTAGTTGC BDL29 SalI, XbaI Fwd Nested: BDL29_ORF_NF_SalI- 997 AATGTCGACGATTTCTTCTCCTTAAGCCATG Fwd External: BDL29_ORF_EF_SalI- 998 AATGTCGACGGAGAGTTTTTCTTTATTACTAGGG Rev Nested: BDL29_ORF_NR_XbaI- 999 AATCTAGACACACATCATTTCATAAGTGACC Rev External: BDL29_ORF_ER_XbaI- 1000 AATCTAGACAACCATTATTACCGAAGAGC BDL30 SmaI, SacI synthetic product 1046 BDL32a XbaI, SacI Fwd Nested: BDL32a_ORF_NF_XbaI- 1001 AATCTAGAGAGGATAATGCGTAACACACAAG Fwd External: BDL32a_ORF_EF_XbaI- 1002 AATCTAGAGATTTTATTCGAGGATAATGCG Rev Nested: BDL32a + b_ORF_NR_SacI- 1003 AGAGCTCCATTAAGACATCCGATTTATTTG Rev External: BDL32a + b_ORF_ER_SacI- 1004 AGAGCTCGAGACTTGTCACACACGTGAGG BDL32b XbaI, SacI Fwd nested: BDL32b_ORF_NF_XbaI- 1005 AATCTAGACACACACACAAACATAAGGAAA Fwd External: BDL32b_ORF_EF_XbaI- 1006 AATCTAGAAACAATACACACACACAAACATAAG Rev Nested: BDL32a + b_ORF_NR_SacI- 1007 AGAGCTCCATTAAGACATCCGATTTATTTG Rev External: BDL32a + b_ORF_ER_SacI- 1008 AGAGCTCGAGACTTGTCACACACGTGAGG Wrinkle SalI, XbaI Fwd nested: WRI_NF_ORF_SalI- 1009 d1 AATGTCGACCAGAGTTTAATGAAGAAGCGCT Fwd External: WRI_EF_Art_SalI- 1010 AATGTCGACAAATCTAAACTTTCTCAGAG Rev Nested: WRI_NR_ORF_XbaI- 1011 AATCTAGACTCTCTCAGACCAAATAGTTACAAG Rev External: WRI_ER_Art_XbaI- 1012 AATCTAGAGGCAAAGACATTGATTATTC Napin HindIII, SalI Fwd: Napin F HindIII- 1013 ATAAGCTTATTGATTCCTTTAAAGACTTATGTT Rev: Napin R SalI- 1014 TCGTCGACGGGTGTATGTTTTTAATCTTGTTT

To optimize the coding sequence (in silico design), codon-usage Tables calculated from plant transcriptoms were used (example of such Tables can be found in the Codon Usage Database available online at Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) kazusa (dot) or (dot) jp/codon/). The optimized coding sequences were designed in a way that no changes are introduced in the encoded amino acid sequence (of selected polypeptides from Table 1, Example 1) while using codons preferred for expression in dicotyledonous plants mainly Arabidopsis, Canola and Soya; and monocotyledonous plants such as maize. Such optimized sequences promote better translation rate and therefore higher protein expression levels. To the optimized sequences flanking additional unique restriction enzymes sites were added-SalI, XbaI, BamHI, SmaI at the 5′ end and Sad at the 3′ end (except one gene-BDL-1, in which the SmaI site was excluded). The genes for which codon optimized synthetic (artificial) sequences were prepared are: BDL-1 (SEQ ID NO:1040), BDL-4 (SEQ ID NO:1041), BDL-11 (SEQ ID NO:1042), BDL-17 (SEQ ID NO:1043), BDL-20b (SEQ ID NO:1044), BDL-24 (SEQ ID NO:1045), BDL-30 (SEQ ID NO:1046). The artificial optimized polynucleotide sequences were synthesized by a commercial supplier [GeneArt, GmbH, (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) geneart (dot) com/)].

Generation of binary vectors comprising BDL genes and plant functional promoters for driving expression of same—The plasmid pPI was constructed by inserting a synthetic poly-(A) signal sequence, originating from pGL3 basic plasmid vector (Promega, Acc No U47295; by 4658-4811) into the HindIII restriction site of the binary vector pBI101.3 (Clontech, GenBank Accession. No. U12640). In some cases the backbone binary plasmid used was pGI which is similar to pPI but the GUS gene was replaced by the GUS-Intron gene (Vancanneyt. G, et al MGG 220, 245-50, 1990). pGI was used to clone part of the polynucleotide sequences, initially under the control of 35S promoter [Odell, J T, et al. Nature 313, 810-812 (28 Feb. 1985); SEQ ID NO:921]. Additional sequences were cloned into pMBLArt under the control of 35S promoter.

Some polynucleotide sequences were cloned under other preferential promoter as described below. The promoter, named Napin originated from Brassica napus which is characterized by a seed specific promoter activity [Stuitje A. R. et. al. Plant Biotechnology Journal 1 (4): 301-309], was amplified by direct PCR on genomic DNA extracted from leaf tissue using the DNAeasy kit (Qiagen Cat. No. 69104) using the following primers:

Napin F Hind III (Enzyme HindII)- (SEQ ID NO: 1013) 5′-ATAAGCTTATTGATTCCTTTAAAGACTTATGTT Napin R Sal I (Enzyne Sal I)- (SEQ ID NO: 1014) 5′-TCGTCGACGGGTGTATGTTTTTAATCTTGTTT.

The following genes were cloned downstream of the Napin promoter sequence: BDL-2, BDL-3, BDL-4, BDL-6, BDL-12, BDL-14, BDL-15, BDL-17, BDL-18, BDL-21, BDL-23, BDL-25, BDL-27, BDL-28, BDL-29, BDL-32b, Wrinkle1. For control purposes, the β-glucuronidase enzyme (GUS, SEQ ID NO:1051) encoded by the uid A gene (GUS-Intron, SEQ ID NO:1049).

Example 4 Producing Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants Expressing the Seed Oil Genes Materials and Methods

Plant transformation was performed according to (Clough S J, Bent A F. 1998. Floral dip: a simplified method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 16(6): 735-43, Desfeux C, Clough S J, Bent A F. 2000. Female reproductive tissues are the primary targets of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation by the Arabidopsis floral-dip method. Plant Physiol. 123(3): 895-904.).

The Arabidopsis thaliana var Columbia (T₀ plants) were transformed according to the Floral Dip procedure described by Clough S J, Bent A F. (1998) Floral dip: a simplified method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 16(6): 735-43; and Desfeux C, Clough S J, Bent A F. (20000 Female reproductive tissues are the primary targets of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation by the Arabidopsis floral-dip method. Plant Physiol. 123(3): 895-904) with minor modifications. Briefly, Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia (Col0) T₀ Plants were sown in 250 ml pots filled with wet peat-based growth mix. The pots were covered with aluminum foil and a plastic dome, kept at 4° C. for 3-4 days, then uncovered and incubated in a growth chamber at 18-24° C. under 16/8 hours light/dark cycles. The T₀ plants were ready for transformation six days before anthesis.

Single colonies of Agrobacterium carrying the binary vectors harboring the seed oil genes were cultured in LB medium supplemented with kanamycin (50 mg/L) and gentamycin (50 mg/L). The cultures were incubated at 28° C. for 48 hours under vigorous shaking and centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 5 minutes. The pellets comprising Agrobacterium cells were resuspended in a transformation medium which contained half-strength (2.15 g/L) Murashige-Skoog (Duchefa); 0.044 μM benzylamino purine (Sigma); 112 μg/L B5 Gambourg vitamins (Sigma); 5% sucrose; and 0.2 ml/L Silwet L-77 (OSI Specialists, CT) in double-distilled water, at pH of 5.7.

Transformation of T₀ plants was performed by inverting each plant into an Agrobacterium suspension such that the above ground plant tissue was submerged for 3-5 seconds. Each inoculated T₀ plant was immediately placed in a plastic tray, then covered with clear plastic dome to maintain humidity and kept in the dark at room temperature for 18 hours to facilitate infection and transformation. Transformed (transgenic) plants were then uncovered and transferred to a greenhouse for recovery and maturation. The transgenic T₀ plants were grown in the greenhouse for 3-5 weeks until siliques were brown and dry, then seeds were harvested from plants and kept at room temperature until sowing

For generating T₁ and T₂ transgenic plants harboring the genes, seeds collected from transgenic T₀ plants were surface-sterilized by soaking in 70% ethanol for 1 minute, followed by soaking in 5% sodium hypochlorite and 0.05% triton for 5 minutes. The surface-sterilized seeds were thoroughly washed in sterile distilled water then placed on culture plates containing half-strength Murashig-Skoog (Duchefa); 2% sucrose; 0.8% plant agar; 50 mM kanamycin; and 200 mM carbenicylin (Duchefa). The culture plates were incubated at 4° C. for 48 hours then transferred to a growth room at 25° C. for an additional week of incubation. Vital T₁ Arabidopsis plants were transferred to a fresh culture plates for another week of incubation. Following incubation the T₁ plants were removed from culture plates and planted in growth mix contained in 250 ml pots. The transgenic plants were allowed to grow in a greenhouse to maturity. Seeds harvested from T₁ plants were cultured and grown to maturity as T₂ plants under the same conditions as used for culturing and growing the T₁ plants.

Example 5 Identification of Additional Sequences with Highest Probability to Confer Similar Favorable Effects in the Transgenic Plants

Methods for the search and identification of homologues of seed yield polypeptide or polynucleotide would be well within the realm of a person skilled in the art. The search and identification of homologous genes involves the screening of sequence information available, for example, in public databases, that include but are not limited to the DNA Database of Japan (DDBJ), Genbank, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Nucleic Acid Sequence Database (EMBL) or versions thereof or the MIPS database. A number of different search algorithms have been developed, including but not limited to the suite of programs referred to as BLAST programs. There are five implementations of BLAST, three designed for nucleotide sequence queries (BLASTN, BLASTX, and TBLASTX) and two designed for protein sequence queries (BLASTP and TBLASTN) (Coulson, Trends in Biotechnology: 76-80, 1994; Birren et al., Genome Analysis, I: 543, 1997). Such methods involve alignment and comparison of sequences. The BLAST algorithm calculates percent sequence identity and performs a statistical analysis of the similarity between the two sequences. The software for performing BLAST analysis is publicly available through the National Centre for Biotechnology Information. Other such software or algorithms are GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA and TFASTA. GAP uses the algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443-453, 1970) to find the alignment of two complete sequences that maximizes the number of matches and minimizes the number of gaps.

The homologous genes may belong to the same gene family. The analysis of a gene family may be carried out using sequence similarity analysis. To perform this analysis one may use standard programs for multiple alignments e.g. Clustal W. A neighbour-joining tree of the proteins homologous to the genes in this invention may be used to provide an overview of structural and ancestral relationships. Sequence identity may be calculated using an alignment program as described above. It is expected that other plants will carry a similar functional gene (orthologue) or a family of similar genes and those genes will provide the same preferred phenotype as the genes presented here. Advantageously, these family members may be useful in the methods of the invention. Example of other plants are included here but not limited to, barley (Hordeum vulgare), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), maize (Zea mays), cotton (Gossypium), Oilseed rape (Brassica napus), Rice (Oryza sativa), Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Soybean (Glycine max), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

The above-mentioned analyses for sequence homology is preferably carried out on a full-length sequence, but may also be based on a comparison of certain regions such as conserved domains. The identification of such domains, would also be well within the realm of the person skilled in the art and would involve, for example, a computer readable format of the nucleic acids of the present invention, the use of alignment software programs and the use of publicly available information on protein domains, conserved motifs and boxes. This information is available in the PRODOM (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) biochem (dot) ucl (dot) ac (dot) uk/bsm/dbbrowser/protocol/prodomqry (dot) html), PIR (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://pir (dot) Georgetown (dot) edu/) or Pfam (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) sanger (dot) ac (dot) uk/Software/Pfam/) database. Sequence analysis programs designed for motif searching may be used for identification of fragments, regions and conserved domains as mentioned above. Preferred computer programs include, but are not limited to, MEME, SIGNALSCAN, and GENESCAN.

A person skilled in the art may use the homologous sequences provided herein to find similar sequences in other species and other organisms. Homologues of a protein encompass, peptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides, proteins and enzymes having amino acid substitutions, deletions and/or insertions relative to the unmodified protein in question and having similar biological and functional activity as the unmodified protein from which they are derived. To produce such homologues, amino acids of the protein may be replaced by other amino acids having similar properties (conservative changes, such as similar hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, antigenicity, propensity to form or break a-helical structures or 3-sheet structures). Conservative substitution tables are well known in the art (see for example Creighton (1984) Proteins. W.H. Freeman and Company). Homologues of a nucleic acid encompass nucleic acids having nucleotide substitutions, deletions and/or insertions relative to the unmodified nucleic acid in question and having similar biological and functional activity as the unmodified nucleic acid from which they are derived.

Genes identified in publicly available sequence databases as sharing high sequence homology to the arabidopsis genes identified herein are summarized in Table 18 below. Those genes are expected to possess similar functions when exogenously introduced into plants, as the arabidopsis genes identified. Homolog genes sequences are also provided.

TABLE 18 Table 18 Polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding same which share high sequence homology to the identified arabidopsis polypeptides of the invention Polynucleotide Polypeptide Homology to % % query SEQ_ID_NO: SEQ_ID_NO: Organism SEQ_ID_NO: identity coverage Algorithm 1 369 523 peanut 51 83 48.4 tblastx 2 370 oil_palm 126 78 19.0 tblastx 3 371 524 tobacco 51 88 45.1 tblastx 4 372 525 tobacco 18 85 22.0 tblastx 5 373 526 tobacco 165 85 13.2 tblastx 6 374 527 tobacco 165 77 14.7 tblastx 7 375 528 barley 51 85 45.1 tblastx 8 376 529 barley 117 85 27.6 tblastx 9 377 530 barley 126 85 31.5 tblastx 10 378 531 barley 137 92 25.4 tblastx 11 379 532 barley 150 65 41.0 tblastx 12 380 533 peach 51 90 46.4 tblastx 13 381 thellungiella 42 86 18.9 tblastx 14 382 thellungiella 61 88 13.1 tblastx 15 383 534 thellungiella 66 91 14.7 tblastx 16 384 thellungiella 70 86 20.5 tblastx 17 385 535 thellungiella 18 95 26.4 tblastx 18 386 536 thellungiella 163 92 27.7 tblastx 19 387 537 strawberry 51 83 47.1 tblastx 20 388 538 canola 36 90 28.5 tblastx 21 389 canola 36 88 17.0 tblastx 22 390 539 canola 9 89 64.7 tblastx 23 391 540 canola 29 88 49.9 tblastx 24 392 541 canola 40 87 82.0 tblastx 25 393 542 canola 40 87 79.4 tblastx 26 394 543 canola 40 87 82.0 tblastx 27 395 canola 40 86 46.5 tblastx 28 396 544 canola 41 95 36.5 tblastx 29 397 545 canola 41 93 36.5 tblastx 30 398 546 canola 44 87 41.1 tblastx 31 399 547 canola 51 93 49.0 tblastx 32 400 548 canola 51 97 51.0 tblastx 33 401 549 canola 51 77 64.7 tblastx 34 402 550 canola 54 94 22.3 tblastx 35 403 551 canola 55 93 59.3 tblastx 36 404 canola 56 85 26.0 tblastx 37 405 552 canola 57 94 19.1 tblastx 38 406 553 canola 60 90 23.6 tblastx 39 407 554 canola 61 88 27.7 tblastx 40 408 555 canola 63 92 47.5 tblastx 41 409 556 canola 10 87 49.7 tblastx 42 410 557 canola 66 91 24.9 tblastx 43 411 canola 7 87 31.6 tblastx 44 412 canola 14 92 44.1 tblastx 45 413 canola 14 92 44.1 tblastx 46 414 canola 81 85 36.3 tblastx 47 415 558 canola 35 90 32.4 tblastx 48 416 559 canola 35 88 45.3 tblastx 49 417 560 canola 35 91 45.3 tblastx 50 418 561 canola 91 88 28.9 tblastx 51 419 562 canola 93 95 14.5 tblastx 52 420 canola 101 95 11.3 tblastx 53 421 563 canola 106 84 32.1 tblastx 54 422 canola 107 83 62.3 tblastx 55 423 564 canola 108 94 14.4 tblastx 56 424 565 canola 118 90 20.6 tblastx 57 425 566 canola 118 95 34.4 tblastx 58 426 567 canola 118 95 34.4 tblastx 59 427 568 canola 119 83 57.2 tblastx 60 428 canola 125 84 28.1 tblastx 61 429 canola 135 96 24.6 tblastx 62 430 569 canola 137 90 32.7 tblastx 63 431 canola 18 93 33.4 tblastx 64 432 570 canola 21 84 83.9 tblastx 65 433 canola 140 92 52.2 tblastx 66 434 571 canola 143 92 41.7 tblastx 67 435 572 canola 143 93 41.0 tblastx 68 436 573 canola 145 89 49.1 tblastx 69 437 574 canola 145 91 39.8 tblastx 70 438 canola 153 94 26.4 tblastx 71 439 575 canola 160 89 79.6 tblastx 72 440 576 canola 163 91 27.7 tblastx 73 441 577 canola 164 80 76.6 tblastx 74 442 578 canola 165 85 11.9 tblastx 75 443 579 melon 51 84 47.1 tblastx 76 444 580 sugarcane 137 90 25.7 tblastx 77 445 581 sugarcane 137 88 28.4 tblastx 78 446 582 b_rapa 41 95 36.1 tblastx 79 447 583 b_rapa 57 92 9.5 tblastx 80 448 b_rapa 64 86 45.7 tblastx 81 449 584 b_rapa 10 84 39.0 tblastx 82 450 b_rapa 4 86 40.5 tblastx 83 451 585 b_rapa 35 86 17.2 tblastx 84 452 586 b_rapa 106 78 36.8 tblastx 85 453 587 b_rapa 122 94 71.4 tblastx 86 454 588 b_rapa 126 87 32.6 tblastx 87 455 589 b_rapa 135 86 41.7 tblastx 88 456 590 b_rapa 137 85 17.8 tblastx 89 457 591 b_rapa 18 94 26.0 tblastx 90 458 592 b_rapa 150 82 42.9 tblastx 91 459 b_rapa 152 88 32.6 tblastx 92 460 593 b_rapa 165 85 11.9 tblastx 93 461 594 maize 137 86 24.1 tblastx 94 462 595 maize 137 89 14.0 tblastx 95 463 596 maize 137 86 24.1 tblastx 96 464 597 maize 165 72 15.5 tblastx 97 465 598 almond 18 89 20.8 tblastx 98 466 599 sorghum 123 87 20.6 tblastx 99 466 599 sorghum 124 87 20.5 tblastx 100 467 600 sorghum 123 89 19.8 tblastx 101 467 600 sorghum 124 89 19.6 tblastx 102 468 601 sorghum 137 85 12.6 tblastx 103 469 soybean 126 97 22.4 tblastx 104 470 602 soybean 137 92 20.1 tblastx 105 471 603 soybean 137 92 11.2 tblastx 106 472 604 soybean 137 92 20.1 tblastx 107 473 605 soybean 137 85 13.1 tblastx 108 474 606 soybean 137 87 17.0 tblastx 109 475 607 soybean 137 92 11.2 tblastx 110 476 608 soybean 137 85 32.3 tblastx 111 477 609 soybean 18 85 28.0 tblastx 112 478 610 soybean 18 86 28.0 tblastx 113 479 611 soybean 150 86 52.8 tblastx 114 480 612 soybean 150 86 52.8 tblastx 115 481 613 soybean 150 86 52.8 tblastx 116 482 614 rice 137 92 23.6 tblastx 117 483 615 rice 137 93 20.6 tblastx 118 484 616 rice 137 95 23.6 tblastx 119 485 617 sunflower 150 83 44.0 tblastx 120 486 sunflower 161 90 7.8 tblastx 121 487 618 poplar 51 85 45.1 tblastx 122 488 619 poplar 123 89 22.6 tblastx 123 488 619 poplar 124 89 22.5 tblastx 124 489 620 poplar 137 87 8.3 tblastx 125 490 621 poplar 18 86 15.8 tblastx 126 491 622 poplar 165 85 13.2 tblastx 127 492 b_oleracea 29 92 23.3 tblastx 128 493 b_oleracea 50 90 20.7 tblastx 129 494 623 b_oleracea 51 93 51.6 tblastx 130 495 624 b_oleracea 55 91 43.7 tblastx 131 496 b_oleracea 107 84 62.3 tblastx 132 497 625 b_oleracea 126 88 32.6 tblastx 133 498 626 b_oleracea 136 85 45.0 tblastx 134 499 627 b_oleracea 136 87 75.3 tblastx 135 500 628 grape 51 87 46.4 tblastx 136 501 grape 4 84 23.5 tblastx 137 502 629 grape 143 90 21.9 tblastx 138 503 630 grape 150 93 21.4 tblastx 139 504 631 grape 150 84 39.5 tblastx 140 505 632 wheat 123 92 14.9 tblastx 141 505 632 wheat 124 92 14.8 tblastx 142 506 633 wheat 126 82 32.9 tblastx 143 507 634 wheat 126 87 28.0 tblastx 144 508 635 wheat 126 83 32.1 tblastx 145 509 636 wheat 137 91 24.1 tblastx 146 510 637 wheat 137 89 32.3 tblastx 147 511 638 wheat 137 95 11.2 tblastx 148 512 639 wheat 150 73 53.9 tblastx 149 513 640 wheat 161 86 8.8 tblastx 150 514 641 wheat 161 88 7.8 tblastx 151 515 642 wheat 161 92 7.2 tblastx 152 516 643 flax 18 74 15.3 tblastx 153 517 644 tomato 51 85 45.8 tblastx 154 518 645 tomato 123 92 15.9 tblastx 155 518 645 tomato 124 92 15.8 tblastx 156 519 646 tomato 126 94 25.1 tblastx 157 520 647 cotton 51 87 45.8 tblastx 158 521 648 cotton 51 88 46.4 tblastx 159 522 649 cotton 123 91 18.8 tblastx 160 522 649 cotton 124 91 18.7 tblastx 161 650 786 b_rapa 169 88 73.7 blastp 162 651 787 canola 169 93 62.6 blastp 163 652 788 radish 169 88 77.1 blastp 164 653 789 b_oleracea 174 93 55.7 blastp 165 654 790 b_rapa 179 94 70.4 blastp 166 655 791 canola 179 88 100.0 blastp 167 656 792 canola 183 85 84.9 blastp 168 657 793 canola 186 89 96.8 blastp 169 658 794 canola 191 89 51.4 blastp 170 659 795 b_oleracea 192 88 56.4 blastp 171 660 796 canola 194 85 96.0 blastp 172 661 797 b_rapa 195 90 100.0 blastp 173 662 798 canola 195 91 100.0 blastp 174 663 799 canola 200 90 94.7 blastp 175 664 800 canola 200 90 98.9 blastp 176 665 801 b_oleracea 205 87 100.0 blastp 177 666 802 b_rapa 205 87 69.1 blastp 178 667 803 b_rapa 205 86 73.5 blastp 179 668 804 canola 205 86 61.4 blastp 180 669 805 radish 205 87 76.5 blastp 181 670 806 canola 206 93 100.0 blastp 182 671 807 radish 206 93 100.0 blastp 183 672 808 b_oleracea 209 87 52.6 blastp 184 673 809 b_rapa 209 86 51.9 blastp 185 674 810 canola 209 88 100.0 blastp 186 675 811 apple 216 89 100.0 blastp 187 676 812 apple 216 89 100.0 blastp 188 677 813 avocado 216 85 100.0 blastp 189 678 814 b_juncea 216 97 69.1 blastp 190 679 815 b_juncea 216 98 91.2 blastp 191 680 816 b_juncea 216 97 100.0 blastp 192 681 817 b_rapa 216 97 100.0 blastp 193 682 818 bean 216 88 100.0 blastp 194 683 819 brachypodium 216 85 100.0 blastp 195 684 820 cassava 216 91 100.0 blastp 196 685 821 cassava 216 86 100.0 blastp 197 686 822 castorbean 216 88 100.0 blastp 198 687 823 centaurea 216 86 100.0 blastp 199 688 824 centaurea 216 86 100.0 blastp 200 689 825 citrus 216 89 100.0 blastp 201 690 826 citrus 216 89 100.0 blastp 202 691 827 coffea 216 85 100.0 blastp 203 692 828 cotton 216 88 100.0 blastp 204 693 829 iceplant 216 86 100.0 blastp 205 694 830 ipomoea 216 88 100.0 blastp 206 695 831 lettuce 216 85 100.0 blastp 207 696 832 lettuce 216 85 100.0 blastp 208 697 833 lettuce 216 85 100.0 blastp 209 698 834 lettuce 216 85 100.0 blastp 210 699 835 lotus 216 89 100.0 blastp 211 700 836 medicago 216 88 100.0 blastp 212 701 837 pepper 216 86 100.0 blastp 213 702 838 periwinkle 216 88 100.0 blastp 214 703 839 petunia 216 88 100.0 blastp 215 704 840 potato 216 86 97.1 blastp 216 705 841 radish 216 95 100.0 blastp 217 706 842 radish 216 95 100.0 blastp 218 707 843 radish 216 97 100.0 blastp 219 708 844 rose 216 85 100.0 blastp 220 709 845 safflower 216 85 100.0 blastp 221 710 846 safflower 216 85 100.0 blastp 222 711 847 safflower 216 86 100.0 blastp 223 712 848 soybean 216 91 100.0 blastp 224 713 849 soybean 216 91 100.0 blastp 225 714 850 spurge 216 89 97.1 blastp 226 715 851 strawberry 216 86 100.0 blastp 227 716 thellungiella 216 90 92.6 tblastn 228 717 852 tobacco 216 88 100.0 blastp 229 718 853 radish 219 87 100.0 blastp 230 719 854 radish 219 92 54.8 blastp 231 720 855 b_oleracea 220 93 70.8 blastp 232 721 856 b_rapa 220 93 99.1 blastp 233 722 857 canola 220 93 81.5 blastp 234 723 858 radish 220 93 99.1 blastp 235 724 859 radish 220 93 99.4 blastp 236 725 860 arabidopsis 244 96 99.6 blastp 237 726 861 arabidopsis 244 96 99.3 tblastn 238 727 862 b_rapa 246 86 52.1 blastp 239 728 863 canola 246 85 53.4 blastp 240 729 864 canola 258 87 100.0 blastp 241 730 865 canola 266 86 51.5 blastp 242 731 866 b_oleracea 272 85 97.1 blastp 243 732 867 canola 272 85 97.1 blastp 244 733 868 arabidopsis 273 87 99.0 blastp 245 734 869 b_rapa 273 94 81.1 blastp 246 735 870 b_rapa 273 88 60.8 blastp 247 736 871 b_rapa 273 94 65.2 blastp 248 737 872 radish 273 89 75.4 blastp 249 738 873 b_rapa 274 86 81.0 blastp 250 739 874 canola 274 90 100.0 blastp 251 740 875 arabidopsis 277 85 57.7 blastp 252 741 876 canola 277 90 92.8 blastp 253 742 877 radish 277 88 99.1 blastp 254 743 878 b_oleracea 282 87 75.2 blastp 255 744 879 b_rapa 283 94 74.6 blastp 256 745 880 basilicum 283 85 51.7 blastp 257 746 881 canola 283 90 58.1 blastp 258 747 882 canola 284 85 100.0 blastp 259 748 883 arabidopsis 286 88 54.1 blastp 260 749 884 arabidopsis 286 86 98.2 blastp 261 750 885 b_rapa 286 85 59.2 blastp 262 751 886 radish 287 91 100.0 blastp 263 752 887 thellungiella 287 93 94.7 blastp 264 753 888 canola 288 92 60.4 blastp 265 754 889 b_oleracea 297 86 96.1 blastp 266 755 890 canola 297 85 96.1 blastp 267 756 891 canola 297 86 96.1 blastp 268 757 892 b_oleracea 299 85 53.2 blastp 269 758 893 canola 299 85 100.0 blastp 270 759 894 canola 299 85 58.2 blastp 271 760 895 canola 300 94 51.9 blastp 272 761 896 b_rapa 301 85 98.1 blastp 273 762 897 radish 301 86 99.4 blastp 274 763 898 b_rapa 302 85 100.0 blastp 275 764 899 canola 305 92 87.5 blastp 276 765 900 canola 305 92 94.8 blastp 277 766 901 radish 305 92 100.0 blastp 278 767 902 b_rapa 308 91 62.4 blastp 279 768 903 radish 308 91 51.4 blastp 280 769 904 b_rapa 310 94 89.1 blastp 281 770 905 canola 310 93 99.4 blastp 282 771 906 radish 310 92 99.7 blastp 283 772 907 arabidopsis 313 91 99.8 blastp 284 773 908 b_oleracea 317 93 63.9 blastp 285 774 909 canola 317 85 100.0 blastp 286 775 910 arabidopsis 318 85 99.9 blastp 287 776 911 canola 328 85 100.0 blastp 288 777 912 b_oleracea 329 93 100.0 blastp 289 778 913 b_rapa 329 88 100.0 blastp 290 779 914 b_rapa 329 94 100.0 blastp 291 780 915 canola 329 88 100.0 blastp 292 781 916 canola 329 94 100.0 blastp 293 782 917 radish 329 88 54.1 blastp 294 783 918 thellungiella 329 93 88.1 blastp 295 784 919 b_rapa 354 91 100.0 blastp 296 785 920 canola 354 89 67.7 blastp

Example 6 Improved Transgenic Plant Performance

To analyze whether the transgenic plants has performed better, plants were grown in pots with an adequate amount of nutrient and water. The plants were analyzed for their overall size, growth rate, time to inflorescence emergence (bolting) and flowering, seed yield, oil content of seed, weight of 1,000 seeds, dry matter and harvest index (HI-seed yield/dry matter). Transgenic plants performance was compared to control plants grown in parallel under the same conditions. Mock-transgenic plants expressing the uidA reporter gene (GUS-Intron) under the same promoter were used as control.

Parameters were measured as described in Examples 1 and 2.

Statistical analyses—To identify genes conferring significantly improved plant performance, the results obtained from the transgenic plants were compared to those obtained from control plants. Plant growth rate, plant area, time to bolt, time to flower, weight of 1,000 seeds, seed yield, oil yield, dry matter, and harvest index area data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. To identify outperforming genes and constructs, results from mix of transformation events or independent events tested were analyzed. For gene versus control analysis T-test was applied, using significance of p<0.05. The JMP statistics software package was used (Version 5.2.1, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C., USA).

Experimental Results

The polynucleotide sequences of the invention were assayed for a number of commercially desired traits.

Tables 19-24 depict analyses of seed yield in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 19 Table 19 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL8 1021 35S 0.264 A 15.9 BDL25 1032 35S 0.239 B 5.2 BDL27 1035 35S 0.238 B 4.8 BDL29 1037 35S 0.235 B 3.4 BDL32a 1038 35S 0.228 B 0.4 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 35S 0.228 B 0.0

TABLE 20 Table 20 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL3 1017 35S 0.447 A 10.9 BDL11 1042 35S 0.420 A 4.2 BDL17 1043 35S 0.426 A 5.8 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 35S 0.403 A 0.0

TABLE 21 Table 21 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL3 1017 Napin 0.492 A 13.4 BDL6 1019 Napin 0.469 B 8.1 BDL28 1036 Napin 0.470 B 8.3 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 Napin 0.434 B 0.0

TABLE 22 Table 22 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL1 1040 35S 0.359 A 23.5 BDL12 1023 35S 0.319 B 9.7 BDL14 1024 35S 0.378 A 30.3 BDL18 1027 35S 0.334 B 15.0 BDL20a 1029 35S 0.325 B 12.0 BDL20b 1044 35S 0.323 B 11.4 BDL26a 1033 35S 0.340 B 17.0 BDL26b 1034 35S 0.318 B 9.7 BDL30 1046 35S 0.340 B 17.2 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 35S 0.290 B 0.0

TABLE 23 Table 23 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL9 1022 35S 0.312 B 10.1 BDL27 1035 35S 0.320 A 13.0 BDL32b 1039 35S 0.334 A 17.8 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 35S 0.283 B 0.0

TABLE 24 Table 24 Genes showing improved plant performance: Seed yield Seed yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL25 1032 Napin 0.41 B 0.1 BDL29 1037 Napin 0.44 B 8.3 BDL32b 1039 Napin 0.46 A 13.0 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 Napin 0.41 B 0.0

Tables 25-30 depict analyses of oil yield in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 25 Table 25 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Significance of Under Least (t-Test overexpressed regulation Sq compare to % Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) improvement BDL8 1021 35S 0.080 A 17.1 BDL25 1032 35S 0.074 B 8.3 BDL27 1035 35S 0.070 B 2.1 BDL32a 1038 35S 0.069 B 1.1 CONTROL (GUS_Intron) 1049 35S 0.069 B 0.0

TABLE 26 Table 26 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 0.13 A 13.7 BDL11 1042 35S 0.12 A 7.0 BDL17 1043 35S 0.12 A 6.5 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.12 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 27 Table 27 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL3 1017 Napin 0.149 A 13.7 BDL6 1019 Napin 0.143 B 9.2 BDL28 1036 Napin 0.138 B 5.3 CONTROL 1049 Napin 0.131 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 28 Table 28 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL1 1040 35S 0.108 A* 23.7 BDL12 1023 35S 0.100 B 14.2 BDL14 1024 35S 0.114 A 31.1 BDL18 1027 35S 0.102 B 16.7 BDL20a 1029 35S 0.098 B 12.0 BDL20b 1044 35S 0.098 B 12.1 BDL26a 1033 35S 0.103 B 18.0 BDL26b 1034 35S 0.097 B 11.8 BDL30 1046 35S 0.107 B 22.4 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.087 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron) *P = 0.07

TABLE 29 Table 29 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL9 1022 35S 0.092 B 6.2 BDL27 1035 35S 0.095 B 9.1 BDL32b 1039 35S 0.101 A 16.4 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.087 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 30 Table 30 Genes showing improved plant performance: Oil yield Oil yield per plant (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL25 1032 Napin 0.12 B 2.2 BDL29 1037 Napin 0.14 A 15.8 BDL32b 1039 Napin 0.15 A 20.6 CONTROL 1049 Napin 0.12 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Tables 31-32 depict analyses of dry matter in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S). Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 31 Table 31 Genes showing improved plant performance: Dry matter SEQ ID NO: of Dry matter per plant (gr) over- Under Significance % expressed regula- Least (t-Test im- poly- tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id  nucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL6 1019 35S 1.0277 A 7.9 BDL14 1024 35S 1.0444 A 9.7 BDL18 1027 35S 0.985 A 3.4 BDL20b 1044 35S 1.0656 A 11.9 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.9523 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 32 Table 32 Genes showing improved plant performance: Dry matter SEQ ID NO: of Dry matter per plant (gr) over- Under Significance % expressed regula- Least (t-Test im- poly- tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id nucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 1.3915 A 3.3 BDL11 1042 35S 1.3638 A 1.2 CONTROL 1049 35S 1.3474 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Tables 33-34 depict analyses of harvest index (HI) in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 33 Table 33 Genes showing improved plant performance: harvest index (HI) SEQ ID NO: of HI over- Under Significance % expressed regula- Least (t-Test im- poly- tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id nucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 0.3218 B 7.2 BDL5 1018 35S 0.3094 B 3.0 BDL8 1021 35S 0.3301 B 9.9 BDL11 1042 35S 0.3063 B 2.0 BDL17 1043 35S 0.3526 A 17.5 BDL25 1032 35S 0.3016 B 0.4 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.3002 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 34 Table 34 Genes showing improved plant performance: harvest index (HI) HI SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL2 1016 Napin 0.342 B 3.7 BDL3 1017 Napin 0.358 B 8.8 BDL6 1019 Napin 0.365 B 10.9 BDL28 1036 Napin 0.374 A 13.6 CONTROL 1049 Napin 0.329 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Tables 35-38 depict analyses of growth rate in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (³⁵S). Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 35 Table 35 Genes showing improved plant performance: Growth rate Growth rate (cm²/day) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL14 1024 35S 2.48 A 6.4 BDL18 1027 35S 2.41 A 3.5 BDL20a 1029 35S 2.50 A 7.1 CONTROL 1049 35S 2.33 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 36 Table 36 Genes showing improved plant performance: Growth rate Growth rate (cm²/day) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL11 1042 35S 1.80 A 15.4 CONTROL 1049 35S 1.56 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 37 Table 37 Genes showing improved plant performance: Growth rate Growth rate (cm²/day) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL1 1040 35S 1.81 A* 17.1 BDL12 1023 35S 1.58 B 2.0 BDL14 1024 35S 1.95 A 26.3 BDL18 1027 35S 1.59 B 3.1 BDL20b 1044 35S 1.77 B 14.6 BDL26a 1033 35S 1.57 B 1.9 BDL30 1046 35S 1.75 B 13.0 CONTROL 1049 35S 1.55 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron) *P = 0.06

TABLE 38 Table 38 Genes showing improved plant performance: Growth rate Growth rate (cm²/day) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL32b 1039 35S 1.19 A 0.8 CONTROL 1049 35S 1.18 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Tables 39-42 depict analyses of rosette area in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 39 Table 39: Genes showing improved plant performance: Rossete area Rosette area (cm²) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL6 1019 35S 9.73 A −10.2 BDL7 1020 35S 8.52 A −21.4 BDL14 1024 35S 11.83 A 9.2 BDL18 1027 35S 11.62 A 7.3 BDL20a 1029 35S 11.90 A 9.9 BDL20b 1044 35S 11.02 B 1.7 BDL24 1045 35S 8.12 A −25.1 CONTROL 1049 35S 10.83 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron) Increase in rosette area means better soil coverage and reduced water loss from soil. Decrease in rosette area means more plants could be put per area increasing yield.

TABLE 40 Table 40: Genes showing improved plant performance: Rossete area Rosette area (cm²) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of regula- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed tion Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 11.99 A −3.6 BDL5 1018 35S 11.36 A −8.6 BDL8 1021 35S 9.31 B −25.1 BDL11 1042 35S 14.09 A 13.2 BDL16 1026 35S 10.91 A −12.3 BDL17 1043 35S 9.97 B −19.9 BDL25 1032 35S 7.95 B −36.1 CONTROL 1049 35S 12.44 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron) Increase in rosette area means better soil coverage and reduced water loss from soil. Decrease in rosette area means more plants could be put per area increasing yield.

TABLE 41 Table 41: Genes showing improved plant performance: Rossete area Rosette area (cm²) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL1 1040 35S 9.13 B 12.4 BDL12 1023 35S 7.92 B −2.5 BDL14 1024 35S 9.96 A 22.7 BDL18 1027 35S 8.63 B 6.3 BDL20a 1029 35S 8.03 B −1.1 BDL20b 1044 35S 9.14 B 12.6 BDL26a 1033 35S 8.51 B 4.8 BDL26b 1034 35S 7.92 B −2.5 BDL30 1046 35S 9.28 A 14.2 CONTROL 1049 35S 8.12 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron) Increase in rosette area means better soil coverage and reduced water loss from soil. Decrease in rosette area means more plants could be put per area increasing yield.

TABLE 42 Table 42: Genes showing improved plant performance: Rossete area Rosette area (cm²) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL9 1022 35S 5.05 B −17.0 BDL21 1030 35S 4.77 B −21.5 BDL27 1035 35S 5.22 B −14.2 BDL32b 1039 35S 6.19 A 1.8 CONTROL 1049 35S 6.08 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron) Increase in rosette area means better soil coverage and reduced water loss from soil. Decrease in rosette area means more plants could be put per area increasing yield.

Tables 43-49 depict analyses of oil % in seed in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 43 Table 43 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL8 1021 35S 30.542 A 1.1 BDL25 1032 35S 31.09 A 2.9 BDL32a 1038 35S 30.264 A 0.2 CONTROL 1049 35S 30.21 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 44 Table 44 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL6 1019 35S 30.565 B 0.7 BDL14 1024 35S 31.31 B 3.1 BDL18 1027 35S 30.56 B 0.7 BDL20a 1029 35S 31.393 B 3.4 BDL20b 1044 35S 31.928 A 5.2 BDL24 1045 35S 31.02 B 2.2 CONTROL 1049 35S 30.355 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 45 Table 45 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 29.39 A 2.1 BDL5 1018 35S 29.29 A 1.8 BDL8 1021 35S 28.903 A 0.4 BDL11 1042 35S 29.216 A 1.5 BDL17 1043 35S 28.904 A 0.4 BDL25 1032 35S 29.514 A 2.6 CONTROL 1049 35S 28.78 A 0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 46 Table 46 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed SEQ ID NO: Under Signi-ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL3 1017 Napin 30.34 A 0.46 BDL6 1019 Napin 30.45 A 0.83 BDL28 1036 Napin 29.49 A 2.35 CONTROL 1049 Napin 30.2 A 0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 47 Table 47 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL12 1023 35S 31.30 A 3.7 BDL14 1024 35S 30.27 A 0.3 BDL18 1027 35S 30.39 A 0.7 BDL26a 1033 35S 30.33 A 0.5 BDL26b 1034 35S 30.43 A 0.8 BDL30 1046 35S 31.42 A 4.1 CONTROL 1049 35S 30.19 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 48 Table 48 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL21 1030 35S 30.55 A 1.8 BDL32b 1039 35S 30.35 A 1.1 CONTROL 1049 35S 30.01 A 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 49 Table 49 Genes showing improved plant performance: oil % in seed Oil % in seed SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL25 1032 Napin 30.34 B 1.5 BDL29 1037 Napin 31.54 A 5.5 BDL32b 1039 Napin 31.69 A 6.0 CONTROL 1049 Napin 29.90 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Tables 50-55 depict analyses of weight of 1000 seeds in plants overexpressing the polynucleotides of the invention under the regulation of a constitutive (35S) or seed specific (napin) promoter. Each Table represents an independent experiment, using at least 5 independent events per gene. Genes not connected by same letter as the control (A, B,) are significantly different from the control.

TABLE 50 Table 50 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL8 1021 35S 0.019 B 9.1 BDL21 1030 35S 0.018 B 0.3 BDL25 1032 35S 0.018 B 0.4 BDL32a 1038 35S 0.019 B 5.5 BDL32b 1039 35S 0.020 A 14.2 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.018 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 51 Table 51 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) SEQ ID NO: Under Significance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare to prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean control) ment BDL6 1019 35S 0.019 B 7.1 BDL7 1020 35S 0.018 B 3.8 BDL14 1024 35S 0.019 B 6.1 BDL18 1027 35S 0.019 B 8.2 BDL20b 1044 35S 0.020 A 14.5 BDL24 1045 35S 0.018 B 4.5 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.018 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 52 Table 52 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL3 1017 35S 0.0214 B 5.8 BDL5 1018 35S 0.0205 B 1.1 BDL11 1042 35S 0.0235 A 15.7 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.0203 B 0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 53 Table 53 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL2 1016 Napin 0.0290 A 30.7 BDL6 1019 Napin 0.0232 B 4.3 BDL14 1024 Napin 0.0227 B 2.3 BDL28 1036 Napin 0.0224 B 1.0 CONTROL 1049 Napin 0.0222 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 54 Table 54 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL1 1040 35S 0.0235 B 0.6 BDL12 1023 35S 0.0234 B 0.1 BDL30 1046 35S 0.0252 A 7.8 CONTROL 1049 35S 0.0234 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

TABLE 55 Table 55 Genes showing improved plant performance: weight of 1,000 seeds Weight of 1000 seeds (gr) Signi- SEQ ID NO: Under ficance % of re- Least (t-Test im- overexpressed gulation Sq compare prove- Gene Id polynucleotide of Mean to control) ment BDL12 1023 Napin 0.0206 B 0.2 BDL18 1027 Napin 0.0214 B 4.0 BDL25 1032 Napin 0.0208 B 1.1 BDL27 1035 Napin 0.0211 B 2.8 BDL29 1037 Napin 0.0211 B 2.6 BDL32b 1039 Napin 0.0224 A 9.3 CONTROL 1049 Napin 0.0205 B 0.0 (GUS_Intron)

Taking into account the results obtained using these assays, the following BDL genes, when exogenously introduced into plants, induced a significant improvement in:

1. Seed yield: BDL1, BDL3, BDL8, BDL14, BDL27, BDL32b.

2. Oil yield: BDL1, BDL3, BDL8, BDL14, BDL29, BDL32b.

3. Harvest Index: BDL17, BDL28.

4. Growth rate: BDL1, BDL14.

5. Roseate area: BDL14, BDL18, BDL20a, BDL30.

6. Oil % in seed: BDL20b, BDL29, BDL32b.

7. Weight of 1000 Seeds: BDL2, BDL11, BDL20b, BDL30, BDL32b

Example 7 Increased Oil Content in Leaves

In general, oil is composed mainly of tri acyl glycerols (TAG). Seeds of Arabidopsis and other oilseed contain high amounts of TAG. Usually the TAGs are being degraded into sugars through the germination process. Cermac and Benning (Plant journal 2004; 40, 575-585) in their paper used an assay to quantify TAG production in seedlings grown on sucrose. They used this stage of development since normally seedlings not present TAG in high levels. In their study, they demonstrated the importance of the wrinkled gene in the control of oil production by showing that transgenic seedlings overexpressing the wrinkled cDNA produce high amounts of TAG.

Materials and Experimental Methods

The present inventors used the assay of Cermac and Benning assay (Cermac and Benning, Plant journal 2004; 40, 575-585) with minor changes to qualify the effect of the transgenes identified herein for their ability to increase TAG in seedlings, similar to the wrinkled gene.

For triacylglycerol quantification T₂ transgenic seedlings were grown on ½ MS medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962 Plant Physiology 15, 473-497), pH 5.9, 2% sucrose and 0.7% agar. Seeds were sterilized by evaporating of 100 ml bleach (10%) and 4 ml HCl (37%) for 90 minutes in close plastic chamber of 5.5 L vol. Glufosinate-ammonium and kanamaycin were added to final concentrations of 20 μg ml⁻¹ for glufosinate-ammonium and 50 μg ml⁻¹ kanamaycin. Follow sterilization, seeds were sown on agar plates. Plates were incubated for 3 days in the dark at 4° C. before placing them in a growth room. The conditions at the growth room were of 24° C., light period of 12 hour and a dark period of 12 hour. Seedlings were grown for 10-11 days.

Equal amount of 11 days old seedlings were ground in 1.5-mL polypropylene test tubes with a glass rod, and lipids were extracted in 50 mL of chloroform:methanol:formic acid (10:10:1, v/v). Following the extraction with 12.5 mL of 1 M KCl and 0.2 M H₃PO₄ and separation of the organic and aqueous phases by centrifugation at 16,000 g for 5 minutes, the lipids in the lower phase were separated on a silica TLC plate (Si 250 PA, J. T. Baker, Philipsburg, N.J.) developed with 80:20:1, petroleum ether:ethyl ether:acetic acid. Lipids were visualized by staining with iodine vapor.

As positive controls the following were used: The naturally produced TriAcyl Glycerols—extracted from seeds of wild-type arabidopsis (lane 5, FIG. 3); and transgenic seedlings expressing WRINKLED cDNA (SEQ ID NO:1050), which are known to produce significant amounts of TriAcyl Glycerols in leaves (Cernac A and Benning C, The Plant Journal 2004, 40, 575-585). As negative controls the transgenic seedlings expressing GUS-Intron gene (SEQ ID NO:1049) were used.

Experimental Results

FIG. 3 depicts iodine vapor staining of lipids isolated from the transgenic plants of independent events (BDL9, WRINKLED) or pool of events (GUS-Intron) expressing the following genes according to Table 56, hereinbelow. An independent Event represents a single stable transformed plant that resulted from random integration of the transformed construct in the Arabidopsis genome. Progenies of an event harboring the transformed construct were used for the gene evaluation separately as in the case of BDL9 and Wrinkeld genes or as pool of events in case of GUS-Intron.

TABLE 56 Table 56 Lane Description of plant Name of upregulated gene No. transformation or control plant 1 Transformed with SEQ ID BDL9 Event 1 NO: 1022 2 Transformed with SEQ ID BDL9 Event 2 NO: 1022 3 Transformed with SEQ ID BDL9 Event 3 NO: 1022 4 Transformed plant with GUS-Intron control vector SEQ ID NO: 1049 5 Untransformed plant SEED 6 Transformed with SEQ ID Wrinkled Event 1 NO: 1050 7 Transformed with SEQ ID Wrinkled Event 2 NO: 1050 8 Transformed with SEQ ID Wrinkled Event 3 NO: 1050

As shown in FIG. 3, transgenic plants expressing the BDL9 gene (SEQ ID NO:1022) produce a significantly higher oil content as compared to the oil content produced by control plants expressing the GUS-intron (SEQ ID NO:1049). In addition, the amount of oil produced by the BDL9-transgenic plants (e.g., FIG. 3, lane 2) is comparable to that produced by seeds (FIG. 3, lane 5) or by transgenic plants expressing the known Wrinkled gene (FIG. 3, lane 6).

SUMMARY

The present inventors have identified genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, which are important for embryogenesis, seed development and oil synthesis and accumulation. These genes, when over-expressed in plants, can effectively increase oil content in seeds or leaves or any other plant part. Tissue or embryonic specific expression of the genes in plants can result in optimal increase oil content in any plant tissue. Thus, the transgenes can be expressed in certain stages of embryo, seed development or to developmental stages of any target tissue, defined as the oil accumulating tissue. This unique expression profile can be achieved by using specific promoters, such as developmental promoters, seed expressing and seed specific promoters.

The present inventors demonstrated improvement of oil synthesis and accumulation by increasing seed size, which enabled the synthesized oil to be accumulated to larger extent, within a larger volume.

In addition, increase of oil can be achieved by controlling embryogenesis. Oil is accumulated in the embryo of developed seed. Some of the early embryo development genes are directly in charge of the regulation of oil synthesis and storage.

The identified genes of the invention can improve oil yield in general, and more specifically oil synthesis, oil accumulation and seed size. The output of the bioinformatics method described herein is a set of genes highly predicted to improve oil and seed yields by modifying their expression. Although each gene is predicted to have its own impact, modifying the mode of expression of more than one gene is expected to provide an additive or synergistic effect on the plant seed/oil yield performance. Altering the expression of each gene described here alone or set of genes together increases the overall oil yield, hence expects to decrease vegetable oil price, as well as to increase productivity.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting.

CD-ROM Content

The following lists the file content of the CD-ROM which is enclosed herewith and filed with the application. File information is provided as: File name/byte size/date of creation/operating system/machine format.

CD-ROM1 (1 file of SEQUENCE LISTING):

1. “40040_ST25.txt”/1,820,000 bytes/Apr. 9, 2008/Microsoft Windows XP Professional/PC. 

1. A method of increasing oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of a plant, comprising introducing into the plant an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and 1048, thereby increasing the oil content, growth rate, biomass, yield and/or vigor of the plant.
 2. A method of producing oil, comprising: (a) providing the plant according to claim 1; and (b) extracting the oil from the plant; thereby producing the oil.
 3. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 90% identical to SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.
 4. A nucleic acid construct, comprising the isolated polynucleotide of claim 3 and a promoter for directing transcription of said nucleic acid sequence.
 5. An isolated polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 6. A plant cell exogenously expressing the polypeptide of claim
 5. 7. A plant cell exogenously expressing the polynucleotide of claim
 3. 8. The nucleic acid construct of claim 4, wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.
 10. The isolated polypeptide of claim 5, wherein said amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 12. The nucleic acid construct of claim 4, wherein said polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046.
 14. The isolated polypeptide of claim 5, wherein said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises a seed oil.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises a vegetative portion oil.
 18. The plant cell of claim 6, wherein said plant cell forms a part of a plant.
 19. The plant cell of claim 7, wherein said plant cell forms a part of a plant.
 20. A plant cell exogenously expressing the nucleic acid construct of claim
 4. 21. The plant cell of claim 20, wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046
 22. The plant cell of claim 6, wherein said amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 199, 166-198, 200-221, 229-307, 311-330, 351-353, 355-361, 363-364, 366-368, 218, 222-228, 308-310, 350, 354, 362, 365, 523-649, 786-920, 1047 and
 1048. 23. The plant cell of claim 20, wherein said plant cell forms a part of a plant.
 24. The plant cell of claim 7, wherein said polynucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 34, 1-33, 35-52, 54-56, 64-165, 332-334, 336-342, 344-345, 347-349, 53, 57-63, 143-145, 331, 335, 343, 346, 369-522, 650-785, 1016-1046. 